The Course of True Love...
by Stiltzkin
Summary: A Daikari or Takari (haven't decided). Chapter VI: Promises & Oaths - A promise has been keeping TK from telling Kari his feelings, but with his departure approaching he's willing to break that promise. Will he be able to tell Kari his feelings before Dav
1. Takeru's Confession.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: This story takes place about a year after the second season of Digimon: Digital Monsters (assuming the season starts on the first day of school and finished the last day of school, before their summer vacation). I'm attempting to make this story as close to cannon as possible, but since I haven't seen all the episodes from the first or second seasons it would be highly unlikely that everything I write would coincides perfectly with the Digimon Series, so please excuse any obvious mistake. I'm also making the assumption that after the season finale of season two the digimons would return back to the Digital World.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are those  
'It might have been.'"  
  
- John Greenleaf Whittier  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER ONE: TAKERU'S CONFESSION.  
  
It was a beautiful summer's morning, perhaps the most beautiful in recent memory. Takeru Takaishi sauntered towards the rising sun to a destination all too familiar. A cool zephyr breeze osculated his nervous soul, which he welcomed whole-heartedly. 'Why am I so nervous?' Takeru thought watching two lovers walking hand in hand pass him. 'Could that be Kari and me?' He hoped watching the lovers disappearing into the urban vista of apartment buildings and early morning traffic. 'What if she doesn't feel the same way?' He allowed that thought to haunt him. 'No.' He rebuked himself. 'I have to tell her...it's time.' He convinced himself, he turned around and continued his way.  
  
Takeru wanted to tell Hikari his feelings for a long time but couldn't for various reasons. At first he questioned his emotions, whether or not they were genuine or just a feeling of familiarity pressed by adventure and tragedy or an obligation to a fleeting promise he made long ago. It took a long time (that is to a twelve-year-old) to realize that his feelings were more than that.  
  
Having coming to that realization, he found himself without reason or excuse to tell Hikari his feelings. He tried once before during a summer about two years ago, but back down at the last minute. 'You can't let that happen again.' He reminded himself. It was about that time where a malignant epiphany hit him that drained his courage. He realized that Hikari might not have the same feelings towards him. He contemplated that fact that year when he returned to Kawada in the fall and found no answer.  
  
Takeru was both elated and hesitant when he heard the news that his mother's promotion would bring them back to Odaiba. On the one hand it would be good to see his brother, his father, his friends and of course Hikari again, but on the other hand, he must confront his feelings for her, a task he wasn't ready or inclined to do. It was also that year where he met the second generation of the Digidestined.  
  
Whether it was fate or happenstance that Iori Hida and Miyako Inoue, two of the six second generation Digidestined were living in his building would be one mystery Takeru would never solve. He met Daisuke Motomiya later that morning playing soccer before Odaiba Elementary while walking to school with his new friends. At first, he mistaken him for Taichi Kamiya the leader of the original team of Digidestined, which is probably why he wasn't all too surprised to find out that he too would become a Digidestined and the leader nevertheless. Then there was her...  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Twenty-one months ago...  
  
"Hmm...twelve point five minutes, twelve seconds later than normal." Miyako sighed looking at her watch. "Pretty good timing considering the wind resistance and the fact you stopped to catch that soccer ball." Miyako smiled looking at Takeru and Iori.  
  
"Thanks, I guess." Takeru replied politely, unsure how to respond.  
  
"We're better get to class." Iori suggested.  
  
"Yeah." Miyako smiled. "What class are you in T.K.?"  
  
"I don't know." He sighed. "I have to pick up my schedule at the principal's office."  
  
"That's down the hall." Iori pointed. "Third door to your right, you can't miss it."  
  
"Thanks." Takeru smiled. "See you soon." He waved farewell to his new friends.  
  
Takeru quickly meandered his way through the perpetually changing labyrinth of students to reach his destination. He opened the door to the principal's office and crossed the threshold approaching the secretary's desk.  
  
"Hi how may I help you?" She smiled.  
  
"Hi. I'm new here and I'm here to pick up my schedule."  
  
"Name?"  
  
"Takaishi, Takeru."  
  
She typed his name in the computer and printed out a schedule for him. "Okay." She smiled. "It seems that you're in Mr. Hamasaki fifth grade class."  
  
"Great, where's that?" Takeru asked enthusiastically.  
  
"Well there's Mr. Hamasaki now, he could take you to class." The secretary pointed to the man who just entered the office. Takeru turned to see a tall, thin man with glasses.  
  
"Hi are you a new student?" He asked with a smile.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "My name is Takeru Takaishi, but all my friends call me T.K." He said shaking his teacher's hand.  
  
"Well T.K., I'll show you to your classroom after I pick up a few things." Hamasaki smiled.  
  
"Okay, I'll wait." Takeru smiled waiting patiently for his new teacher.  
  
A few minutes later Takeru and his new teacher walked to their class on the second floor of Odaiba Elementary. Hamasaki opened the door and entered into a noisy class filled with students chattering. "I'm Mr. Hamasaki. I'll be your teacher. I'd like you all to welcome a new student."  
  
"Hey." Takeru looked at the person who made the exclamation and was glad to see Daisuke. 'At least I know someone in class.' He thought.  
  
"Hi" Takeru smiled taking off his white hat. "Nice to meet you. I'm Takeru, but you can call me T.K." He introduced himself to the class.  
  
"Please take a seat next to the girl with the camera around her neck." Hamasaki said looking around the room.  
  
Takeru looked to where he pointed and saw that it was Hikari. His heart did somersaults seeing his best friend. 'I didn't know she'd be in this class.' He thought. Takeru smiled and quickly sat beside her. "Together again." Takeru flashed his boyish smile.  
  
"Just like old times." Hikari smiled in return.  
  
Takeru's heart melted and fluttered by that smile, so much so that he wanted to see it again, he wouldn't be disappointed. "Our teacher looks like Ogremon." He whispered with a huge grimace.  
  
Hikari started to laugh again. Takeru reveled in her laughter. He was so infatuated by her smiled that he didn't notice that Daisuke was fuming with jealousy a couple of seats down.  
  
Mr. Hamasaki quickly went through the attendance list and then started his class. Takeru wrote some notes down, but found himself unable to concentrate. Once in a while he would try to steal a glance at Hikari. His heart pounded and he felt warm at the sight of her.  
  
The bell rang signifying the end of homeroom. The sound of approximately twenty students getting up and packing for the next class rippled through the once silence classroom. Takeru and Hikari walked towards their lockers together reminiscing. "T.K. How does your mom like the new apartment?" Hikari smiled.  
  
"I'm not sure." Takeru smiled. "She's been on the computer the whole time."  
  
"Hey Buddy!" Daisuke's voice clamored surprising the couple.  
  
"His name is not buddy. It's T.K." Hikari defended adamantly.  
  
"All right, T.J. or J.B. Or whatever it is, how do you know Kari?"  
  
"Huh?" Takeru remarked trying to get the recent events into perspective. "How do I know her?" He repeated his question with a hint of confusion. Then it hit him. "Oh, I get it. You're jealous of me." Takeru couldn't help but to smile like an idiot.  
  
"I'm not jealous of anybody!" Daisuke fumed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Even now Takeru couldn't help but to smirk at that moment in his life. He sighed and took a breath of the cool morning air, pushing that memory away. 'I wish I could be more like Daisuke.' He sighed to himself. 'What am I thinking!?!' He quickly corrected his thoughts. 'Me be more like Daisuke, what is the world coming to?' He rhetorically thought to himself.  
  
The truth was Takeru did wish that he were more like Daisuke, at least in one way. He wished that he could have the courage to express his emotions about Hikari like Daisuke could, albeit with much more tact. 'I guess that's why he carries the digimentale of courage.' Takeru sighed. 'At least he would go through life knowing how Kari feels about him.' Takeru thought. "Unlike me." He whispered to himself. 'Which is better? Living a life full of rejection or a life filled with regret?' He thought rhetorically. He knew the answer: Rejection.  
  
The answer of that question came to him after his second adventure in the Digital World. It has been a year since all that had happened and every time Takeru would summon up the courage to tell Hikari his feelings something drastic would happen.  
  
He wanted to tell her during their trip to New York. It seemed perfect! A "romantic" getaway (at least in his mind) for two, alone in a big, foreign city, but then Willis, a fellow Digidestined was in trouble and they had to help him out. His feelings were pushed away for something more dire and important.  
  
'Today was the day! Nothing would stop me from telling Hikari how I feel.' He thought earnestly. He made that promise before, but each time he broke it. The first time he made that promise the sordid love triangle between Sora, Tai and his brother (which ended badly for all three of them) prevented him to tell her. Takeru thought that telling his feelings wouldn't have helped the situation that he and Hikari were drawn into.  
  
With that situation gone and some time had passed Takeru mustered up enough courage to tell her again. He was again prevented in telling Hikari his feelings with just cause: the death of Hikari's father. Again he pushed his feelings away to be there for her.  
  
"Nothing will stop me now." He told himself again, this time with determination. He looked up at Hikari's building and took another deep breath and entered the apartment complex.  
  
He got to the door, raised his hand ready to knock, but stopped midway. A wave of fear rang through his soul. 'All right relax T.K., it's just another day, like every other day you picked up Kari to go to school.' He thought. 'Except that you're going to tell how you feel about her.' Takeru sighed banging his head against the wall.  
  
He took another deep breath and reminded himself to relax again. 'Okay T.K. just practice what you want to say.' He sighed encouraging himself. "Kari, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you a long time. You see Kari I..."  
  
"Hey T.K. thought I heard you." Taichi greeted opening the door. "Whatcha doing?"  
  
Takeru face turned red from embarrassment put his hand behind his head to hastily think of an excuse. "I'm just practicing for an oral test today." He quickly stuttered.  
  
"On the second last day of school?" Taichi asked not entirely believing his excuse. "Man, elementary teachers are meaner than I remember." Taichi sighed. "Oh well, I'm late for soccer practice. Kari is in her room." He sighed letting go of his suspicions. "Well gotta go." The fifteen-year-old said running down the hall towards the elevator.  
  
"That's was close." Takeru sighed. He felt cooler entering the Kamiya residence. "Kari?" He hesitantly asked. Takeru headed towards Hikari's room and popped his head in. "Kari you ready for school?"  
  
"Almost." Hikari blushed, quickly hiding something behind her back.  
  
"What are you hiding?" Takeru smiled approaching her trying to see what she was hiding behind her.  
  
"My dress for the formal tonight." Hikari said gently pushing Takeru out of her room. "And I don't want anyone to see it until tonight." She said pushing Takeru down on the couch.  
  
"Why? It's not like a wedding dress?"  
  
"No, but it's almost as important and I still don't want you to see it." Hikari sighed. "Miko you watch him." She ordered her cat. "If he moves an inch scratch him." She smiled playfully at her cat. Miko meowed in affirmation as Hikari disappeared into her room.  
  
"Miko, buddy, you know me." He smiled at the cat trying to sweet talk it. "Remember me, I'm your buddy T.K. the guy who dropped you from the balcony when I was three." The cat hissed. "Okay bad example, but I am your friend and I know you won't hurt me if I peak at Kari's dress." Takeru smiled, slowly getting up.  
  
Miko let out a loud meow in defense. "Sit down T.K." Hikari yelled from within her room.  
  
"All right." Takeru sighed, sulking back into the couch. "Traitor." Takeru hushed the cat. The tabby purred apologetically and jumped in his lap and looked at him remorsefully. "All right, you're forgiven." Takeru sighed petting Miko. "I still love you." Takeru smiled sarcastically scratching behind Miko's ear. The cat purred in affection as she got comfortable on his lap. "Why is it that I can tell you that, but can't tell Kari?" Takeru asked half to himself.  
  
"Can't tell me what?" Hikari asked coming into the living room.  
  
"Nothing." Takeru stood up quickly dropping Miko to the floor. Miko screamed hitting the floor. "Sorry Miko." Takeru apologized to the cat, his face already red by the sudden appearance of Hikari.  
  
"What is it?" Hikari demanded crossing her arms.  
  
"Nothing, it's rather silly." Takeru said grabbing Hikari's books. "Com'on, we're going to be late for school." He said quickly leaving the apartment.  
  
Hikari knew that this secret was juicy when Takeru evaded her like that. "Takeru Takaishi you're not getting away that easy." Hikari demanded. Takeru knew he was in trouble when Hikari used his full name. "What is it that you can't tell me?" She demanded the more as they entered the elevator.  
  
"Nothing." He responded innocently.  
  
"Takeru." She insisted.  
  
"Okay, okay." Takeru sighed in defeated. "I wanted to tell you that I love..." Takeru couldn't get the words out of his mouth, his throat went dry, he was lost in her chocolate brown eyes and lost his courage. "I was debating whether to tell you your father's last words." Takeru muttered the last part under his breath. 'Stupid.' He regretted what he said as soon as the excuse came out. 'Why did you bring that up?' He knew that Hikari's feelings over her father's death were not fully resolved. "I'm sorry." Takeru quickly said trying to mend his insensitive remark.  
  
"Don't be." Hikari said above a whisper. "You did promise my father you wouldn't tell." She sighed turning her back to him. For a long time Hikari wanted to know what her father said to Takeru just before he died.  
  
"I'm sorry." Takeru said touching her shoulder. "I didn't mean to..."  
  
"Don't." Hikari interrupted allowing a few tears escape. "I forced it out of you." She said turning to Takeru shoulder crying.  
  
Takeru held her, his arms around the small of her back. He felt guilty for bringing that very sensitive matter up and guiltier for allowing Hikari to believe that this was her fault. "There, there, let it all out." He whispered caressing the back of her head. Her hair smelled like a mixture of lilacs and lavender, a scent he came to love. He could hold her like this forever.  
  
"I'm sorry." Hikari said looking into his glittering sapphire blue eyes. "I didn't mean to cry on your shoulder." She said patting his shoulder dry.  
  
"Hey that's okay." Takeru smiled. "That's what shoulders are for." He smiled drying her tears with his thumb. "I'm sorry for bringing your father up earlier."  
  
"But it's not your..."  
  
Takeru put his index finger on her lips, stopping her speech. "It's my fault, okay?" He reiterated.  
  
Hikari nod and smiled a thank you to her best friend. Suddenly a wave of affection hit her for the first time, in a long time. She saw her best friend in a different light as something more than a friend. She blushed and unconsciously leaned into Takeru for a kiss, then the fact that he was her friend hit her. "Uh...T.K.?" Hikari asked blushing.  
  
"Yeah." He whispered; their eyes still locked. The sexual tension in the elevator was so thick that it was suffocating.  
  
"You can let go of me now." She smiled.  
  
"Oh...sorry." Takeru blushed.  
  
"That's okay." Hikari smiled trying to forget the situation. "Let's get going." She said leaving the elevator.  
  
They walked to school together having their customary conversation about school and life. Hikari, Takeru, Daisuke and Ken were in sixth grade and were expecting to graduate from Odaiba Elementary in a couple of days. Miyako was just about to finish her first year at Odaiba Junior High. Iori Hida, the youngest of the six was about to finish the fourth grade.  
  
The four were not the only Digidestined graduating in a couple of days. Yamato Ishida, Takeru's older brother, Sora Takenouchi, and Taichi Kamiya, Hikari's older brother was about to finish grade nine, their last year of Junior High and eagerly waiting to attend Odaiba High in the fall. Meanwhile, in America Mimi Tachikawa was about to finish the eighth grade and was eagerly waiting to go to high school there.  
  
Jou Kido was about to complete the tenth grade, the first year of high school and still studying hard to become a doctor. While Koushiro Izumi was about to finished grade eight, his second year of Junior High waiting patiently for the second generation of Digidestined to come to Odaiba Junior High.  
  
"So T.K. are you excited about going to Junior High this fall?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Yeah, kind of." Takeru sighed. "I'm not a big fan with the school uniform though." He let out another sigh. "The green blazer, white dress shirt, blue tie, and grey paints feels too artificial."  
  
"Oh, you just don't like the fact that the dress code don't allow hats." Hikari teased.  
  
Takeru smiled at the remark. "Am I that transparent?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
"Only to me." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Well at least I'll be in good company." He smiled at her.  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked oblivious to what Takeru was insinuating.  
  
"Well wearing a digital camera around your neck doesn't really fall under the dress code either." Takeru pointed out with his boyish smile.  
  
Hikari stopped as Takeru passed her a couple of paces before he noticed that she was missing. He turned to see Hikari holding onto her camera with affection. "I never thought about that?" She whispered.  
  
"Kari it'll be okay." Takeru said concernfully. "You can still put it in your book bag." Takeru suggested.  
  
"I know, but it's not the same." Hikari sighed still holding her camera. Takeru was about to approach her when an epiphany hit her. She had a devilish grimace in her face and skipped towards him with serendipity grabbing his arm and marched forward. "What are you thinking?" Takeru asked with suspicion. He seen this look on Hikari before and it usually means one thing: trouble. "And how much will we get in trouble?"  
  
"Trouble?" Hikari asked innocently. "We're not going to get in trouble...well not much any ways."  
  
"Kari." Takeru sternly protested.  
  
"I'm thinking we could joined the Digidestined in New York with Mimi and Michael and go to a Junior High School there." Hikari suggested enthusiastically. "That means we can wear anything we want. You don't have to get rid of your hat and I don't have to get rid of my camera."  
  
Takeru smiled to himself. "Sounds great, but how would our mothers feel? Would they even let us go?"  
  
Hikari's heart sank. "Oh, you're no fun." Hikari sighed sarcastically. "Did you have to burst my bubble?" She sulked.  
  
"It'll be okay Kari. At least you'll have company in your misery." Takeru smiled supportively.  
  
"Thanks." She smiled putting her head against his shoulder.  
  
Takeru was surprised at the gesture, his heart started to flutter and his body temperature started to rise. He figured this was the right time to tell her about his feelings.  
  
"Kari?" He said hesitantly.  
  
"Yes T.K." She looked into his blue eyes.  
  
His lips started to quiver with nervousness. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you for a long time."  
  
"What is it T.K.?" She smiled.  
  
'Just do it, before you lose your nerve...again.' Takeru encouraged himself. "You see Kari I..."  
  
"Hey T.J. get your hands off my girl!" Daisuke interrupted from the school's soccer field.  
  
"For Gennai's sake." Hikari sighed rolling her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell him that I'm not his girl?" She sighed to herself.  
  
"Apparently as many times I have to tell him my real name." Takeru sighed in the same solemn tone.  
  
"Hey Kari watch this!" Daisuke yelled.  
  
They silently watched Daisuke running down the soccer field navigating the ball around two defensive players and avoided someone trying to trip him and kicked the ball to the net. The ball rocketed towards the net and went in with a fury.  
  
"That's for you Kari!" Daisuke smiled.  
  
Takeru sighed with disdain. He looked at Hikari and realized that she was mesmerized by that simple act of valour. He saw her smile to herself. Hikari was basking in the moment and rather enjoyed it too. Hikari turned to look at Takeru and saw him staring at her strangely. "What?" She asked innocently.  
  
"You rather enjoyed that." Takeru said with awe.  
  
"Enjoy what?" She asked innocently.  
  
"The way Davis makes himself a fool for you."  
  
"Oh that." Hikari blushed. "Please don't tell him." Hikari smiled. "You'll just encourage him if you do."  
  
"Trust me I won't." Takeru sighed walking towards the school. "Davis being more out of control is something I don't want to see." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Hikari smiled. "You're my hero."  
  
Takeru wished he could believe that. "It's just that I never figured you the type of girl that liked that sort of thing." He sighed.  
  
"T.K., all women like to be wooed once in a while." Hikari confessed.  
  
He felt hurt. 'Of course Kari would like romance what were you thinking?' He thought to himself. 'And to think you're going to tell her your feelings without romance in the air.' He felt stupid for not thinking of it.  
  
They reached Hikari's locker as Takeru handed the books he was carrying for her. "Oh my..." Hikari swore to herself with awe.  
  
"What is it?" Takeru asked with concern.  
  
"This." Hikari said bringing out a dozen long stem red roses with fern leaves and white baby's breath surrounding the bouquet.  
  
Takeru eyes dilated at the sight. "Who...who are these from?" He asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "Oh wait here's a card." Takeru noticed a small smile on her face. "It's from Davis."  
  
Takeru bang his head against the adjacent locker and closed his eyes to hide the pain in his heart. 'Davis is not making this easy for me.' He sighed. 'I might as well tell her.' He thought.  
  
He turned to her looking at her. "Kari I know that this is terribly unromantic, but there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you a long time. You see Kari I..." Takeru stopped himself realizing that Hikari was not paying any attention to him. She was just gazing into her locker. "Hikari?" He said waving his hand in her line of view.  
  
"I'm sorry T.K. you were saying something?"  
  
"Are you okay?" Takeru asked with concern.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine." She blushed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"You were like a million miles away."  
  
"Oh." Hikari blushed. "It's just never occurred to me that Davis could be so sweet, romantic and sensitive." Hikari sighed. "He's usually so..."  
  
"Rash? Obnoxious?"  
  
"Unrefined." Hikari corrected using the euphemism. "Who would thought that Davis could be such a diamond in the rough?"  
  
"You've fallen for him...haven't you?" Takeru asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer she might give in return.  
  
"No...Maybe a little...I don't know...I'm not sure, at least not yet." Hikari sighed. "It's just sweet to see the romantic side to him that's all and to tell you the truth I rather enjoy it." She smiled.  
  
"Really?" Takeru sounded hurt.  
  
"Oh, please don't tell Davis I said that, I'll never hear the end of it." She pleaded.  
  
"I won't." Takeru said with a hint of hurt in his voice.  
  
"Thanks you're such a good friend." Hikari smiled kissing his cheek.  
  
Takeru was hurt by that remark, like a dull butter knife piercing his all ready fragile heart; he couldn't get the pain to subside. Even the platonic kiss just added salt upon his opened wound. It burned and stung as a painful reminder of what Hikari thought of him. 'Just a friend.' He sighed with defeat. "Yeah, no problem. What are friends for?" He forced that remark out of himself. He wanted to cry, but held his tears in.  
  
"What did I do to deserve you?" She asked rhetorically with a smile.  
  
"No it is I who don't deserve you." Takeru forced a smile in return.  
  
"You're the best." Hikari smiled giving Takeru a hug. "It's such a shame to put these roses in my locker, they're so beautiful." She smiled.  
  
"Yeah, they are." Takeru sighed. "Too bad they're not pink." He said apathetically watching Hikari staring at her flowers.  
  
"How do you know pink roses were my favourite?" Hikari asked with a painfully beautiful smile. She was shocked that Takeru would know such a thing that only her girlfriends would know.  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "You mentioned it once."  
  
"I did?" Hikari asked inquisitively. "Hmm...I don't remembering mentioning it to you." She smiled putting the flowers back in her locker. "I'm sorry T.K. you wanted to tell me something?" Hikari asked remembering that Takeru wanted to tell her something all morning.  
  
"It's not really that important." Takeru sighed. "It's just that I love..." The bell rang interrupting Takeru in mid-sentence.  
  
"Com'on T.K. we're going to be late for class." Hikari said grabbed Takeru's hand leading him to class.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hikari entered the busy cafeteria with her tray. It was filled with ambient noise of students chattering about their days and plans for their summer.  
  
She meandered through the busy cafeteria tables looking for any of the Digidestined. The cafeteria was segregated as usual into clique. In one corner were the cheerleaders and athletics players, in another the academics and the computer club, and the list goes on.  
  
She looked around and caught Takeru sitting by himself looking out the window, contemplating, his lunch untouched. 'Something's wrong.' Hikari thought navigating through the busy lunch crowd.  
  
Suddenly a wave of affection hit her, for some strange reason all she wanted to do was to hold him, to make whatever he was feeling go away. 'When was it in our relationship when holding each other didn't feel uncomfortable?' That strange thought crept into her mind.  
  
Not too long ago, holding each other for convalescent purposes would have been a taboo, something they thought too awkward to do. 'When has our relationship gotten to this point of closeness?' Hikari thought, still looking into the recess of her mind. 'Daddy's death.' She gasped at her realization. 'No wonder Tai didn't kill him.' A smirk came to her face.  
  
"I thought Salisbury Steak was one of your favourites." Hikari smiled sitting down across from him.  
  
Takeru came out of his trance and smiled at her presence. "I'm sorry. You said something Kari?"  
  
"Your lunch." Hikari smiled. "You haven't touched it."  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed playing with his food. "I'm not particularly hungry."  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
"About what?" Takeru smiled. "The reason why I'm not hungry or what's on my mind?"  
  
"There one in the same thing aren't they?" Hikari smiled.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Want to talk about it?" She reiterated.  
  
"Not particularly." Takeru sighed still playing with his food.  
  
"Takeru." Hikari affectionately said reaching for his hand. "You're my best friend and I can see something's bothering you. I care for you and I don't want to see you this way." Hikari smiled.  
  
He looked at her hand touching his and smiled to himself. He repositioned his hand so he could hold hers. He looked up into her shiny bronze eyes and all his defences broke. Her eyes glittered with innocence and consideration that somehow trapped his tortured soul. 'I have to tell her.' He thought. 'But she did call me her best friend.' He sighed. 'Does she really think of me that way?'  
  
"I'm not sure you want to know." Takeru sighed trying so hard to hold his last remnant of defence.  
  
"Try me." She smiled.  
  
"How do you do that?" Takeru smiled.  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Make me smile when I feel like crap." Takeru sighed. "Make me open up when I don't want to?"  
  
"A girls got to keep some of her secrets." Hikari smiled. "Now stop stalling."  
  
"All right." Takeru sighed. He didn't know where or how to start this conversation. "There's this girl..."  
  
"Really." Hikari gasped. She was hurt to hear the news. 'Why am I feeling this way? T.K. is my friend and he found a girl, I should be happy for him.'  
  
"It's not all that impossible is it?" Takeru asked. "Me liking a girl?"  
  
"No, of course it's not impossible." Hikari quickly defended. "I'm just surprised that's all." Hikari confessed. 'Why am I feeling this way?' She thought. 'I should be happy for him, so why aren't I?' She took a sighed and looked at her best friend. "So who is she?"  
  
"Kari!" Takeru gasped in fear thinking who would know his secret, he retracted his hand quickly to see who called her name. He then realized that it was Daisuke yelling as the spiky hair boy ran towards where they were sitting and joined them. Takeru relaxed somewhat knowing that his feelings for Hikari were safe; that is for the moment. "So did you get my roses?" Daisuke smiled sitting down.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari smiled. "They were beautiful, but you shouldn't have."  
  
"Yes I should." Daisuke beamed. "You deserve roses everyday."  
  
"That's sweet of you, but why do I have the feeling that you have an ulterior motive with these flowers." Hikari probed sensing something from him.  
  
"Well I thought if I bought them for you, you would consider going to the formal with me tonight." Daisuke smiled hoping.  
  
"I thought the four of you agreed to go as a group." Iori Hida said taking the seat next to Takeru.  
  
"We did." Ken Ichijouji said taking the head seat of the lunch table. Ken convinced his parents to transfer school for his last year of Elementary School so he could be with his friends. Tamachi Elementary, his former school, was reluctant for letting him go to Odaiba, but their hands were tied when Ken's parents insisted that he should go. "I think Davis is trying to break our agreement." Ken smiled. "So he could spend some time with Kari." He playfully teased.  
  
"I am not!" Daisuke protested. "We could all still go together, but I'll be the only one allowed to dance with Kari that's all."  
  
The rest of the group sighed in unison. "Davis we all agreed that we'll go alone." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah, but Cody didn't vote to break the tie."  
  
"I doesn't make sense for me to get a vote especially when I'm not graduating." Iori pointed out. In the fall Iori would start the fifth grade in Odaiba Elementary, still two years shy in graduating.  
  
"Maybe you can go." Hikari smiled. "I know it's last minute, but I like you to be my escort."  
  
"What?" Daisuke freaked. "Why would you go out with him, but not me?" He whined.  
  
"Oh Davis." Hikari sighed. "With Cody as my escort he could get into the party. It doesn't seem right for all of us to have fun tonight, while Cody is stuck at home." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"I guess you're right." Daisuke sighed reluctantly.  
  
"So what do you say Cody?"  
  
"I am flattered thank you, but I have Kendo practice with my grandfather tonight and then a family dinner afterwards." Iori explained.  
  
"Great!" Daisuke shouted jumping out of his seat. "Now Kari can go to the dance with me!" He announced.  
  
"Sit down Davis." Hikari pulled him down. "Our agreement stands." She demanded. "We're all going to the formal as a group." She said enforcing the last word.  
  
"Oh Kari." Daisuke whined.  
  
Ken couldn't help but laugh at the scene played before him. He came to expect it everyday at lunch and actually looked forward to it. In secret he rather enjoyed watching Daisuke trying to get a date with Hikari and in return watch Hikari trying to get out of it.  
  
He suppressed a chuckled and wondered why Takeru was so silent. Ken's eyes dilated to see that he was gone. He quickly looked around the cafeteria to see where Takeru's went. "Uh guys. I hate to interrupt your melodrama, but T.K. is gone." Ken reported.  
  
"Gone." Hikari gasped looking to the seat across from her. Ken was right, there was Takeru's lunch still untouched, but with no Takeru. She fell into a trance and wondered what happened to him.  
  
"I wonder where he went?" Iori asked.  
  
"Who cares?" Daisuke sighed; their voice became ambient noise in Hikari's head.  
  
"I do." Hikari said adamantly coming out of her gaze.  
  
"So do I." Daisuke replied getting up from his seat. "I'll help you."  
  
Hikari turned towards him and smiled. "That's okay Davis, I could take care of this myself, please stay and eat your lunch." Hikari said leaving without hearing another word.  
  
Daisuke's heart broke and slumped back into his chair. "Why doesn't she like me?" He mumbled in self-pity. Iori and Ken looked at each other not sure how they should respond.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru couldn't stand it. He needed to be alone; he didn't want to confront his friends or his feeling for Hikari at the moment. He just wanted to let all his frustration out the only way he knew how...basketball.  
  
He dribbled the ball down half-court with a vengeance; jumped up into the air feeling the air brushing against his sweaty skin; dunked the basketball in and landing on his feet like a tiger.  
  
Takeru headed towards the ball when her heard the sound of clapping echoing through the gymnasium. Frightened, he looked around to see who it was.  
  
"Season's over captain." A well-built brown hair man said walking towards Takeru. "You already won the championship what else do you want? You're a little too young for the pros." He mockingly jested.  
  
"Oh hi, Coach Kenji." Takeru said out of breath. "I didn't know that anyone was here." He continued to pant.  
  
"Evidently." Kenji smiled handing Takeru a bottle of water.  
  
"Thanks." Takeru said accepting the water and quickly drank half the bottle in one gulp. "I needed that." He sighed following his coach towards the bleachers.  
  
"So why aren't you at lunch?"  
  
"Oh not very hungry." Takeru replied looking down at his shoes. "I just wanted to be alone." He mumbled to himself.  
  
"Want to talk about it?" He placed his hand on Takeru's shoulder.  
  
"Not really." Takeru sighed.  
  
"I think you should." He smiled, Takeru looked at his coach sharply. "You were playing a rough game with yourself there and you'll end up getting yourself hurt. Trust me, I seen it before." He pointed out. "And besides, the last thing I want to explain to the Junior High Basketball Coach is why my star basketball player is injured before he takes you under his wing."  
  
Takeru smiled to himself. "Don't make me laugh. I don't really feel like it." He sighed turning his attention back to his shoes.  
  
"You worried about Junior High?"  
  
"Not really." Takeru sighed. "Nothing that trivial."  
  
"Ah women." The coach smiled.  
  
"How did you know?" Takeru looked at his coach.  
  
Kenji chuckled to himself. "I was once a twelve year old boy too and besides I've seen many players with broken hearts that came before you."  
  
"Well my heart is not broken, at least not yet." The blond hair boy sighed returning his attention to his shoes.  
  
"Then that's worse."  
  
"I know." Takeru exasperated.  
  
"So who is she?"  
  
'Should I tell him?' Takeru quickly debated in his mind. "She's my best friend." He finally said. "I've known her since we were three, but we parted through no fault of our own, and didn't really get to know each other until five years later. It wasn't until recently that my feelings for her surfaced and I fear it may be too late." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Oh? Why is that?"  
  
Takeru exasperated. "There's another boy in the picture. An obnoxious, loud, character that's totally all wrong for her." Takeru sighed trying to hide his tears. "The worst thing about it is that he's a really good friend."  
  
"Does she like him back?"  
  
The question shocked Takeru he didn't think his coach would be so blunt in asking him. "I think she's falling for him." Takeru sighed allowing a tear to run down his cheek.  
  
"Think?" His coach raised his eyebrow. "Did she tell you directly?"  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "I don't think she even knows it yet, but I do see it within her, deep inside, no matter how much she denies or hides it." He sighed.  
  
"I see." His coach sighed.  
  
"So coach what should I do?" Takeru asked drying the single tear.  
  
"Tell her."  
  
Takeru snicker with disdain. "I've been trying all day, but I just couldn't bring myself to tell her." Takeru sighed. "It's just that I'm..."  
  
"Scared?"  
  
Takeru looked at his coach again. "Yeah." He said barely above a whisper.  
  
His coach took a deep sigh and looked his pupil in the eyes. "Takeru anything in life that's worth anything or means anything has a bit of fear that comes along with it." He explained. "And when the fear is overcome a great sense of relief or joy..."  
  
"Or pain." Takeru added.  
  
"Or pain..." He hesitantly added. "Will replace it, but at the end of the day, no matter how you're feeling at least you know one thing: the truth."  
  
"Yeah I guess." Takeru sighed. "It's better to live a life full of rejection than that of regret."  
  
"Eloquently put." His coach smiled.  
  
"I've been thinking about that all morning too." Takeru confessed.  
  
"Well, I always knew you were a smart boy." The coach smiled ruffling Takeru's blond hair with his hand. "So will you be okay?"  
  
"In time, maybe." Takeru sighed.  
  
"T.K. there you are!" Hikari announced breathlessly. "I was worried about you." She said breathing heavily.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."  
  
"I think I'll leave you two alone." The coach said.  
  
"I'm sorry." Hikari apologized remembering her manners. "I didn't mean to interrupt you."  
  
"No I'm finished." Kenji stood up. "I hope what I told you help."  
  
"Thank you." Takeru smiled. "It did."  
  
"I'll be back after lunch to check up on you." He smiled leaning towards Takeru. "You behave now." He whispered into his ear.  
  
Hikari casually sat beside her best friend. "What was that all about?" She said still out of breath.  
  
"Inside joke." Takeru answered ambiguously. "Here." Takeru said handing her his half-drunk bottle of water. "I'm sorry I drank so much of it." He sighed. "I didn't realize that you were coming."  
  
"That's okay." Hikari sighed drinking the rest of the water. "Thanks. I needed that." She smiled.  
  
"No problem." Takeru smiled. Then he felt Hikari punching him on the shoulder. "Ouch, what was that for?" He said rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"For worrying me half to death."  
  
"I'm sorry." Takeru smiled. "I just needed to be alone."  
  
"I understand." Hikari sighed. "I'm sorry that I wasn't paying attention to you and your problem." Hikari said feeling a little disappointed.  
  
"That's okay." Takeru smiled. "Davis demands a lot of attention."  
  
Hikari gently giggled to herself. "He does doesn't he?" She smiled. "Do you still want to talk about it? I mean I know you probably talked about it with the coach, but..."  
  
Takeru stopped her from continuing by placing his fingers against her soft lips. "There's not much to tell." Takeru sighed. "There's this girl I really like, but she's infatuated with someone else."  
  
Hikari placed her arm around Takeru to allow him to cry on her shoulder if he needed to. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "Are you sure she likes someone else?"  
  
"Yeah, about ninety percent sure."  
  
"Is that all." She sighed. "Then don't give up hope." Takeru got up from her shoulder looking into her shining bronze eyes with suppressed indignation. She gave her angelic smile and ran her fingers through his sweaty flaxen hair that melted his exasperation away. "Takeru, a very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love."  
  
'Would you be saying that if you know that you are that girl?' He sighed looking into her brown eyes. "I guess you're right." Takeru sighed forcing a smile. "I'm sorry." He said drying his tears. "I didn't mean to cry on your shoulder."  
  
"Hey that's okay." Hikari smiled. "That's what shoulders are for." Takeru smirked remembering what he said earlier that morning in the elevator. "Com'on let's do something fun." Hikari said heading towards the basketball on the floor. "Com'on teach me how to play this game of yours." Hikari smiled.  
  
Takeru smiled at the request. "Are you telling me that you've been coming to my basketball games for the better part of two years and you don't know how to play it?" Takeru taunted.  
  
"Are you teasing me?" Hikari smiled. "It's rather a simple game, just get this ball in that hoop." She said throwing the ball towards it. The orange ball screamed through the air; hit the backboard with a vengeance and rebound towards Takeru, which he caught.  
  
"Yeah, it's really simple." Takeru mocked shaking his head. "I can't believe that Tai hasn't taught you how to throw a basketball."  
  
"Well, Tai considers basketball a lesser sport compared to soccer, then again he consider all other sports inferior to soccer." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Ouch that hurts." Takeru said playfully clenching his heart.  
  
"You're so silly." Hikari smiled at her best friend. "Just because Tai thinks that doesn't mean I do." She smiled.  
  
"Oh, then what do you think about basketball?" Takeru smiled.  
  
"That's yet to be seen." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Come here Kamiya." Takeru taunted defensively. "Let the captain of the basketball team show you how to shoot a basket." Takeru smiled.  
  
"I'm so honoured." She curtsied.  
  
"Now who's being silly?" Takeru sighed grabbing her close to him. His body was so close to her that he felt like her second layer of skin, her shadow. "First of all you position your hands like this on the ball." Takeru showed putting her hands on the basketball, he felt like her puppeteer. "You place the ball over your head like so." He positioned her hand enjoying her scent. "Bend your knees and follow through." The spherical orb left their hands and arched freely towards the basket and gracefully swished through the basket with ease. "Nothing, but net." He whispered seductively into her ear.  
  
"Is that all?" Hikari said pretending not to care. It took every urge within her to jump up and down with glee. "It's rather easy, not really a sport." She smiled to herself knowing that what she said would get Takeru aggravated.  
  
"Well it's easy if you don't have an opponent." Takeru said passing the ball to Hikari. "Now try to do that again against me." He taunted.  
  
"All right." Hikari smiled bouncing the ball twice. She mimicked the stance that Takeru had taught her minutes earlier and let the ball fly. Takeru jumped into the air grabbed the ball and did a simple layout and scored.  
  
"Takaishi two, Kamiya zero." Takeru taunted.  
  
"Hey not fair!" Hikari whined. "You stole that ball from me."  
  
"That's the point of the game." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Com'on give me another chance." Hikari begged.  
  
"All right, but it's my ball because I scored." He smiled. "Now your job is to try to get the ball away from me." He said bouncing the ball.  
  
"How am I to do that?"  
  
"Distract me."  
  
"All right." Hikari smiled a devilish smile.  
  
"What are you up to Kamiya?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"You'll see Takaishi." Takeru hesitantly dribbled the ball heading towards the key. Hikari quickly ran towards him and started tickling him on the stomach. "It's a good thing I know that you're extremely ticklish." She smiled.  
  
"Hey...you...can't...do...that." Takeru gasped unable to contain his laughter.  
  
"Then let the basketball go." She continued tickling the more.  
  
"Never." He giggled.  
  
"All right, have it your way." Hikari smiled. "I could tickle you forever."  
  
"Don't threaten me Kamiya." Takeru smiled. "I know your ticklish spots too." He said starting to tickle her. The two, relentless in their tickling attack stumble to the ground with Takeru's back on the floor and Hikari on him. Their attacks continued ruthlessly, rolling around the gymnasium's hard floor, once, twice, four times. "All right, all right, you win." Takeru gasped in defeat, his back once again on the floor.  
  
"There was that so hard?" Hikari smiled stopping her attack. A wave of allurement called her to lean forward, to kiss him. She was lost in his shimmering sapphire blue eyes, their hearts pounding from their fight; their bodies aligned perfectly, their lips less than a centimetre apart, his arms wrapped around the small of her back. Her lips drew closer to Takeru's. 'What am I doing? He's my best friend.' Hikari thought. "Umm, I better get going." She blushingly whispered.  
  
"Wait." Takeru said still holding her. He ran his fingers through her mahogany fine hair. "You know the girl that I like?" Takeru quietly asked; his eyes transfixed on hers.  
  
"Yeah?" She smiled.  
  
"Well you see Kari, the girl I like is..."  
  
"Hikari! Takeru! What do you think you doing?!?" A loud voice bellowed through the gymnasium. Their hearts jumped with fright and got off each other.  
  
"Coach." Takeru gasped. "I...I can ex...plain." He stuttered.  
  
"Yes you will, both of you, in detention." He fumed.  
  
"But..."  
  
"I think you two should leave before you get into more trouble."  
  
The two students left the gymnasium, quickly and quietly. The coach shook his head in disapproval of what just happened, or more correctly what could have happened. He was disappointed in his prize player, but more disappointed in himself for his unforgiving behaviour.  
  
He heard footsteps coming from behind him; he quickly turned around to see Takeru. "I forgot my basketball." He said grabbing it.  
  
"Hey Takeru, I'm sorry for freaking out and not letting you explain your situation."  
  
"Nah, don't be, I would have freaked out too in your place." Takeru responded forgivingly.  
  
"But you're still have to go to detention."  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. He started to walk away, but stopped midway. "Hey coach?" He asked turning around.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Look what happened just now was totally my fault, I don't think Kari should be punished for my stupidity."  
  
"It takes two to tango."  
  
"As a favour to me, please." Takeru pleaded.  
  
Kenji looked into his puppy dog eyes. "You must really like her to do this." He smiled.  
  
"I do."  
  
"All right." He caved.  
  
"Thanks coach." Takeru grinned quickly leaving.  
  
"Hey Takeru!" The coach said interrupting his flight. "Did you tell her?"  
  
"I was this close when you interrupted us." Takeru sighed showing the distant between his index finger and thumb. "If I had just one more minute..."  
  
"I would be scared of what may have happened with that extra time." He replied crossing his arms.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Takeru smirked at that accusation. "We are, after all, twelve years old." Takeru replied with a smiled that had both the properties of childlike innocence and preadolescent-like devilishness.  
  
"Don't be smart. It could get you in trouble someday." The coach smiled. "Get to class." He sighed. "I'll see you after school."  
  
"Looking forward to it." Takeru smiled half to himself leaving the gymnasium.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The silent halls quickly woke with the sounds of relieved students ready to leave their mandatory eight-hour prison. Takeru meandered through the perpetual changing labyrinth of students to get to his locker.  
  
"Hey T.K." Hikari quickly followed. "Did you hear Coach Kenji didn't put us in detention." She smiled.  
  
"Actually, you're not going to detention." Takeru sighed. "I am."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I convinced Coach Kenji that what happened in the gym was all my fault."  
  
"Why? Nothing happened."  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Then why did you do it?"  
  
He wanted to tell her the truth that it was his feelings for her that made him do it, but couldn't get the words out at that point. He sighed with frustration giving the first reason he could think of. "I thought you might want more time to make yourself beautiful for the formal tonight, not that you need it." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Really?" Hikari smiled suspiciously.  
  
"Well men generally don't take as much time to get ready." Takeru smiled. "All I have to do is take a shower and get dressed."  
  
"Thanks." Hikari smiled kissing him on the cheek. "You're really sweet." She whispered into his ear. "She doesn't deserve you."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The girl that you're infatuated with."  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed.  
  
"By the way, you didn't tell me who she was."  
  
"You see Kari, the girl I like is..." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Hey T.A." Daisuke's voice bellowed from the crowd. Takeru smiled to himself, he half expected to be interrupted. "I heard that Coach Kenji gave you detention." He announced.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Nothing." Takeru replied enigmatically. "I've better get going." He smiled leaving.  
  
"Hey you didn't tell me!" Hikari bellowed down the hall.  
  
"I'll tell you tonight." Takeru yelled back.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment. [2] The flashback scene is taken from the second season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Enter Flamdramon". [3] Hikari's line: "A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love" is a quote taken from Stendhal. [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	2. Secrets, Memories and Confessions.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for not posting this in a timely manner. I was suffering from "Sophomore Slumps." A term, which I coin for all my second chapters in all of my series I am currently writing. It seems I could write a good first chapter getting many reviews, but when I post my second chapter...well dust (see my other series to confirm my phobia). Since this series didn't get many reviews...well, let's just say I got off my high chair and out of my pity party and realized that I write to satisfy the emptiness inside of me and not for the adulation of others.  
  
Having this new perspective I started to write this, so I apologize about it's tardiness and hope you like it as much as the first chapter. Please note some of the flashback scenes are a stretch (especially Daisuke's), but I hope it is believable. Finally, my baby brother, who's an avid Digimon aficionado, tells me that Takeru's mother's name is Nancy so I used that, please contact me if I'm wrong. Enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Loving someone that doesn't love you is like reaching for a star.  
You know you'll never reach it but you just got to keep trying."  
  
- Unknown.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER TWO: SECRETS, MEMORIES AND CONFESSIONS.  
  
Takeru Takaishi quickly meandered through the busy streets of Odaiba. He almost lost his hat twice from running too quickly. "I'm sorry." He said to the person he bumped into and promptly ran around him without his forgiveness and dashed towards home.  
  
Detention had dragged on which seemed like hours. It was the first time he was in detention and didn't know what to expect. Takeru thought that he could do something constructive with the time like homework, but since it was the second last day of school there was none to do. So he was forced to sit there and listen to his principal dragging on about the evils of coital interplay. It seemed like an eternity before he was set free.  
  
He dashed up the stairs of his apartment building, unwilling to wait for the elevator. He didn't realize that he wouldn't have much time to get ready for the formal when he unilaterally decided to take the punishment for what was done in the gymnasium earlier. "Hi mom, sorry I'm late." He said bursting through the door.  
  
"That's okay son." Nancy Takaishi, Takeru's mother replied nonchalantly. Her eyes still fixated on her computer.  
  
"Whatcha doing?" He asked looking over his mother shoulder.  
  
"Just writing an article on the historical significance of toilet paper." Nancy replied.  
  
"Sounds...interesting." Takeru didn't know how to respond.  
  
"Liar." Nancy smiled looking at her son. "What happened? You're out of breath." Her maternal instincts kicked in.  
  
"Just had to stay after school for a bit."  
  
"What did you do?" Nancy sounded concerned. It wasn't like her son to get into trouble. "It's over a girl isn't?" She smiled tauntingly. "Your principal called." Nancy added.  
  
"Oh." Takeru could feel his face turn red. "It's a long story, but I promise it's rather innocent and I'll tell you about it after I get ready for the formal tonight." Takeru said rushing towards his bedroom trying to evade his mother's suspicions.  
  
"You're tuxedo is on your bed." She raised her voice.  
  
"Great! Thanks mom!" Takeru's voice came from within. "Umm...Mom?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Where's my top hat?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot." His mother replied.  
  
"What?!?" Nancy could hear her son freaking out.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hikari Kamiya struggled with the zipper of her chiffon black dress for about ten minutes. Every time she would get the zipper halfway up it would go back down again. "Mom?" She yelled with frustration.  
  
There was no answer, but a strange echo of another voice. "Mom?" She yelled again, this time with a hint of confusion. She slowly walked out of her room, to see that her older brother, Taichi Kamiya coming out of his room.  
  
"Have you seen mom?" Taichi asked.  
  
"No." Hikari sighed. "You?"  
  
"No." Taichi's voice had a hint of concern. "Did you check the answer machine?" He asked.  
  
"I thought you did." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I was busy getting ready for the Junior High formal."  
  
"What do you think I was doing?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Well..." Taichi taunted.  
  
"That was a rhetorical question Tai." Hikari sighed wobbling towards the answer machine.  
  
A message emanated from the machine; it was their mother. It seemed that she had to work late at the Health Food Store that she bought shortly after their father's death. She told them not to worry and that she'll be home soon.  
  
"Great." They exasperated in unison.  
  
"I don't suppose you know how to tie a bow tie?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Yeah, I do." Hikari smiled. "But first do you mind zipping my dress up?" She asked turning her back to her brother, lifting her short brown hair.  
  
Taichi's eyes dilated and his left eyebrow rose at the sight of his baby sister's dress. It was a low cut, spaghetti straps, black chiffon dress that flowed an inch above her knees. "You're not wearing that are you?"  
  
"Yeah I am, why don't you like it?" Hikari answered still waiting for her brother to fasten her zipper.  
  
"Well, it's rather revealing."  
  
"I don't think so." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Does mom know you're wearing this?"  
  
"She was there when I bought it." Hikari sighed. "Now if you don't mind would you fasten my zipper?" She asked, her back still facing towards her brother.  
  
"Sorry." Taichi sighed with concern. He approached his baby sister and fastened her zipper. "Is that perfume you're wearing?"  
  
"Yeah. Mimi got it for me when I was in New York with T.K. last summer. Its called Lust." Hikari replied nonchalantly.  
  
"Lust? Why does that worry me?"  
  
Hikari smiled to herself and turn to her brother. "Because you're a caring, loving, protective brother, not to mention obnoxious, rash..."  
  
"I get the point."  
  
Hikari smiled and kissed her brother on the cheek. "I know that I don't tell you this often, but you've been doing a good job taking care of the family since daddy died."  
  
"Thanks." Taichi blushed. "I just wish mom don't have to work so much."  
  
"Yeah me too." Hikari sighed. "So how do I look?" Hikari asked twirling in her dress.  
  
"Aren't you going to be cold?"  
  
"I have a shawl." Hikari exasperated. "So, how do I look?" She reiterated.  
  
"You look fine."  
  
Hikari moaned with frustration. "You're so hopeless." She sighed looking pitifully at her brother. 'Is he really that clueless?' Hikari thought. "Com'on let me help you with that bow tie." She sighed leading her brother into her room. "Sit on the bed in front of the mirror." She directed.  
  
"When did you learn how to tie a bow tie?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Mom taught me years ago." Hikari sighed sitting beside her brother on the bed.  
  
"Why would mom know?"  
  
"You kidding, right?" Hikari smiled. "Daddy didn't know how to tie his bow tie either. Mom had to do it for him." She smiled putting her arms around her brother's neck and began to tie his bow tie. "It was one of those things I wanted to learn when I was younger."  
  
"I didn't know that." Taichi sighed. He had always thought that he knew his father, but when he died, he realized how wrong he was. Taichi never realized how much he had in common with his father and how much he needed to learn from him to become a man. "Hey who bought you the roses?" He asked seeing the dozen red roses in a glass vase sitting on her dresser table.  
  
"Oh that." Hikari sighed dismissing it quickly. "Davis bought them for me."  
  
"Davis?" Taichi sounded surprised. "He must really like you."  
  
"Big surprise." Hikari replied sarcastically. "We've known that since I was ten." She reminded her brother.  
  
"Yeah, but this is the first time he spent money on you." Taichi pointed out.  
  
"Com'on Tai, how much could a dozen long stem red roses cost?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, a bunch like that, maybe 3000 to 4000 yens."  
  
Hikari gasped. "That much? I didn't realize."  
  
"Yeah, he must have been saving up for weeks." Taichi sighed. He suppressed a small smile to himself. He would remember a time, not too long ago, when he would spend an obscene amount of money on Sora.  
  
The thought of Sora still made his heart ache. 'Why did it have to end up this way?' He thought. The memory of what happened between Yamato Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, his first love, and him still pained him. 'What did I do wrong?' He thought. 'Things were a lot simpler when we were younger.' He sighed entering a gaze.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Nine years, nine months ago...  
  
Taichi sighed looking out the window of the moving car. He was disheartened, broken-hearted that only a six-year-old could imagine. "Mom do I really have to go?" Taichi's whined. "I wanna play soccer."  
  
"No Tai, everyone has to start school some time." His mother replied. "Today's your time."  
  
"But I don't want to go to school." His temper tantrum continued. "Why can't Hikari go in my place?" Hikari turned to Taichi and blew her whistle. "Ouch...Not so loud." Taichi sighed. "Mom, why did you buy Hikari that whistle?"  
  
"Hikari how many times do I have to tell you not to blow that thing at your brother." Her mother scolded. Taichi stuck out his tongue at his younger sibling. "And Tai you deserved it for trying to get your sister to take your place at school." Hikari let the whistle out of her mouth and stuck her tongue at her brother.  
  
"But ma, I don't want to go to school."  
  
"Don't worry Tai, you'll make tons of new friends, especially with that healthy lunch I made for you." His mother smiled. "You'll be the most popular guy in school."  
  
"Yeah...sure mom." He sighed looking at his lunchbox. "Mom, I think I'm feeling sick." He lied.  
  
"Nice try." His mother smiled. "But we're here." She announced stopping the car.  
  
Taichi looked out the window to see a gigantic, two-story school of Odaiba Elementary. His eyes dilated it was the biggest building beside his apartment building that he ever laid eyes on. "Wow." He said to himself.  
  
"Com'on Tai, time for school." His mother said holding on his hand and carrying Hikari with the other. Her teary eyes were proud that her baby boy was going to school for the first time.  
  
They entered the school and headed to his class accordingly. "Hi my name is Miss. Hideaki, I'll be your teacher. What's your name?" Hideaki said kneeling down to Taichi's level.  
  
"Hi my name is Tai." He said enthusiastically.  
  
"Nice to meet you Tai." Hideaki said shaking his hand. "Why don't you play with those two kids over there." She pointed to a table where two kids sat. There was a small girl wearing blue jeans and plan shirt with a blue knitted hat hiding her brown hair and a blond hair, blue-eyed boy wearing blue jeans and green shirt.  
  
"Hi my name is Tai."  
  
"Hi Tai, my name is Sora."  
  
"Hi Sora." He smiled at the girl.  
  
"Hey Tai." He said casually. "Mines Matt."  
  
"Hi Matt." Taichi greeted. "Whatcha doing?"  
  
"We're colouring." Sora smiled. "Want to join us?"  
  
"Sure." Taichi smiled grabbing a red crayon.  
  
Three hours later...  
  
"What do you have for lunch Tai?" Sora asked her new friend.  
  
Taichi opened his lunchbox; the smell of his lunch overpowered their senses. "Wow, that stinks." Yamato commented.  
  
"I know." Taichi sighed. "It's a liver and bean sprout sandwich, my mother is into healthy food." He sighed.  
  
"You mean gross tasting food." Yamato corrected.  
  
"Yeah." Taichi sighed. "Wanna trade?"  
  
"No." They said in unison.  
  
Taichi sighed taking a bite of his lunch. He ate his lunch slowly, while Yamato and Sora quickly finished theirs. With each bite Taichi's stomach turned, with each shallow his face turned a darker shade of green.  
  
"Com'on let's play." Sora said when her lunch was finished.  
  
"Okay." Taichi said jumping from his seat.  
  
"Not so fast Tai." Hideaki interrupted his flight. "You have to finish your lunch first."  
  
"But Miss. Hideaki." He whined.  
  
"No buts now finish your lunch."  
  
"Sorry Tai." Sora smiled sympathetically taking off her hat.  
  
"Com'on Sora let's play." Yamato yelled in the distance.  
  
"Finish soon okay." She smiled unconsciously leaving her hat on the table.  
  
"Why me?" Taichi sighed taking another bite of his lunch. With each bite his stomach turned. It took the rest of the lunch hour to finish his lunch.  
  
"Are you feeling okay?" Hideaki asked Taichi.  
  
"No." Taichi said grabbing the nearest thing he found Sora's hat and threw up in it. "I think I'm sick."  
  
"Com'on I'll take you to the nurse."  
  
"Thanks." Taichi sighed getting up from the table.  
  
"There's your hat Sora." Yamato pointed out.  
  
"Great." Sora sighed with relief. "Thanks Matt, my mom would have killed me if I lost it." She smiled picking up her hat.  
  
"Wait Sora!" Taichi try to intercede. It was too late. She had already put her hat on with Tai's regurgitation covering all over her head.  
  
"Eww..." She cried. "Miss. Hideaki!"  
  
"Oh, oh."  
  
"Tai!" She yelled.  
  
"Com'on Miss. Hideaki, get me to the nurse before she has to fix a broken arm or something as well as my stomach." Taichi said nervously rushing his teacher out of the room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
He smiled to himself. 'Well maybe it wasn't so easy.' He sighed coming out of his gaze and realized that his younger sister was in her very own trance. "Hey Kari?" Taichi asked, his voice above a whisper.  
  
"Yeah." She said coming out of her trance. "What is it Tai?"  
  
"My tie?"  
  
Hikari blushed and realized that it was half done. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Where were you?"  
  
"Oh nowhere special." Hikari sighed finishing his bow tie. "I was just thinking about Davis."  
  
"Oh?" Taichi taunted.  
  
"It's not what you think." Hikari reassured. "It's just that Davis has been more romantic these days."  
  
"You fallen for him, haven't you?" Taichi's teased.  
  
"No Tai." Hikari sighed. "At least I don't think so." She went to her camera wanting to hold it, but it wasn't there, she wasn't wearing it. She would always hold her camera or whistle, or whatever was around her neck when she was worried about something, she didn't know why, but it strangely made her feel safe. "Tai how do you know when you're in love?"  
  
"I don't know." Taichi sighed reminiscing about Sora. "It's different for everyone." He sighed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"It just that...It just that Davis says he likes me and he's so adamant about it, he's so positive that he feels it within his bones." Hikari sighed. "Hell I don't even know what love is." She sighed with frustration.  
  
"I think you do." Taichi encouraged. "You're more mature than the average twelve year old." He sighed. "All the Digidestined seem more mature for their age." Taichi sighed humbly.  
  
"Well being more mature then you're suppose to be is not what is cracked up to be." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I know." Taichi sighed joining his sister in her sorrow. "Is something wrong?" He asked his sister.  
  
"I'm fine." Hikari lied. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"You're clenching to your torso."  
  
"Oh." Hikari blushed. "I guess I feel a little naked without something around my neck." She confessed.  
  
Taichi smiled to himself. "I think I might have something for that." He said leaving Hikari's room. He returned moments later with a golden locket in his hand. "Here." He smiled draping the necklace around his sister's neck.  
  
"It's beautiful." Hikari gasped. "I didn't know that you collected women's jewellery." She teased.  
  
"I bought it for Sora before..."  
  
"Tai, I can't accept this." Hikari said interrupting her brother, taking off the locket. "You bought it for..."  
  
"The woman I love." Taichi completed her sentence. "And the last time I cheeked you were one of them." Taichi forced a smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Hikari sheepishly smiled. She looked into her brother's brown eyes and saw both joy and pain. "Tai?"  
  
"Yeah, what is it?"  
  
"What happened between the three of you, between you, Sora, and Matt?" Hikari boldly asked.  
  
"Kari there are just some things that you shouldn't know, that you wouldn't understand, no matter how much life experience you have." Taichi sighed ambiguously leaving his sister's room.  
  
"What happened to you Tai?" She sighed to herself.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Daisuke Motomiya was frustrated with his bow tie. "Ahh...why do they make these things so complicated." He said untying the knot that he made.  
  
"Something wrong?" Jun Motomiya, his older sister popped in.  
  
"No." Daisuke replied bitterly. "Not unless you know how to tie this stupid thing." He said trying for the umpteenth time to tie his bow tie.  
  
"Here let me." Jun sighed. "You're so useless. Don't you know how to do anything?" She asked with frustration.  
  
"What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Like you care."  
  
"I don't that's why I asked." Daisuke fumed. "Ow...watch it you're choking me." He complained.  
  
"Then stop moving around." Jun defended.  
  
"Then don't pull so hard."  
  
"Fine." Jun said with frustration leaving his bow tie half-done. "Then tie it yourself."  
  
"I don't know how to." Daisuke pouted.  
  
"Then stop complaining when someone is trying to help you." Jun protested.  
  
"Sorry." Daisuke mumbled under his breath.  
  
"What was that?" His sister stopped before crossing the threshold of her brother's room.  
  
"I said I was sorry!"  
  
"Okay, okay, you don't have to bite my head off."  
  
"I'm sorry...I just want to make a good impression with Kari that's all." He sighed.  
  
Jun sighed and took pity on her baby brother. "This Kari, is she the one with Tai as an older brother?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, so what of it?"  
  
"Hey just asking." Jun defended. "You don't have to be so defensive." She sighed finishing her brother's bow tie. "I thought she and Matt's younger brother were going out with each other." Jun pointed out.  
  
"THEY ARE NOT!" He bellowed back.  
  
"Okay, okay, just calm down." His sister reassured. "I just don't want to see you setting yourself up for disappointment, like I did with Matt." She sighed with sisterly concern.  
  
"That's different!" Daisuke pointed out.  
  
"Oh, how so?"  
  
"In your case you were chasing a guy who didn't like you back, and in my case I'm chasing a girl that..." Daisuke stopped in mid sentence realizing that it maybe one in the same thing. "They just are!" He protested.  
  
"All right." She sighed. "Good luck with everything tonight."  
  
"What do you mean about that?" He bellowed.  
  
"Nothing." She sighed. "Just being polite." She sighed leaving the room.  
  
"Well who asked you to." He yelled to a closed door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru sighed with frustration. For the last fifteen minutes he was trying to comb his cowlick down. 'Ah...this is why I wear hats.' He moaned. 'How can my mother forget the top hat?' He frivolously tried once more to get the tuff of flaxen hair down.  
  
"You okay Takeru? You've been in your room for over an hour?" His mother asked popping her head into her son's room.  
  
"Not really, trying to fix my hair." He sighed with frustration as the cowlick came right back up. "It seems my hair won't cooperate with me." He sighed.  
  
"Here let me help you." Nancy Takaishi smiled sitting beside her son on his bed. "I'm sorry I forgot your top hat when I picked up your tuxedo this afternoon." She sighed.  
  
"That's okay." Takeru sighed. "Maybe I could wear my school hat with this tuxedo." He said putting his white fisherman's hat on. The informality of his white hat clashed with his tuxedo.  
  
"Don't be silly." Nancy smiled taking off his hat.  
  
"Well at least it solves the ordeal with my hair." He sighed.  
  
"Here this will help." Nancy smiled reaching for her son's head.  
  
"Whoa...what's that?" Takeru said trying to stop his mother's intervention.  
  
"Don't be silly, you know what this is." Nancy smiled. "It's styling mousse."  
  
"I know what it is." Her son protested. "When Matt was my age he went through about a dozen cans of that stuff a week." Takeru sarcastically pointed out. "It's just that Kari likes my hair natural." He blurted. Takeru quickly clamped his mouth with his hands. He could see his reflection turn red. 'Please don't let her hear that.' Takeru wished. He let the moment pass and studied his mother visage and saw that she didn't hear him. "Never mind, just get this over with." He sulked.  
  
Nancy Takaishi suppressed a smile and pretended not to hear her son's first excuse. She massaged the styling mousse into her son's golden flaxen hair. She could see her son's uneasiness with the new hairstyle. "Relax, I'm sure Kari would like it." She teased. She couldn't help it.  
  
'Oh...she knows.' Takeru sighed. "I...I don't know what you're talking about." He gave the first defence that ran through his mind.  
  
"Okay...if you say so." His mother taunted. "There all done, what do you think?" She asked.  
  
Takeru looked into the mirror and rather liked his new hairstyle, but he wouldn't give his mother the satisfaction that she was right. "It's okay." He sighed suppressing his approval about it.  
  
"I know, I know, it's not the same thing as your hat." His mother teased knowing her son's true reaction. Nancy could read her son even when he's trying to hide something. "Do you need help with your bow tie?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks." Takeru smiled. "I tired it three times already, but it doesn't seem right." He sighed. "I don't know how dad does it."  
  
"He doesn't." Nancy smiled. "I do it for him."  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "I'm wondering how Matt is going to cope with his bow tie."  
  
Nancy suppressed a smile; her older son had come over earlier for that very reason. "Oh, I think he'll manage." She looked at her son in the reflection of the mirror. "Oh, you look so handsome."  
  
"Mom!" Takeru blushed.  
  
"It's not an insult or motherly prejudice, it's true, you look like your father when he was your age." Nancy smiled seeing a hint of nostalgia in her eye. "I bet all the girls in the school are after you." She smiled.  
  
"Not really." He sighed.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure they are." She sighed. "You just don't notice it." Her motherly instincts honed into her son's eyes, it was full of indecision and pain, and it started when she mentioned girls. "What's wrong son?"  
  
"How did you know that dad liked you when you were young?"  
  
"Well." His mother smiled, the nostalgia in her eyes grew. "He did little things like writing me love poems, sending my favourite flowers, and sending sweets like chocolate."  
  
"Oh." His heart dejected. 'Davis has been doing that lately. Am I losing Kari?' He thought. 'No, don't think that!" He debated. 'Why should I be surprised? It's no secret that he liked her for two years.' He reminded himself. "How did daddy know you liked him?"  
  
"Oh, I was always in love with your father." Nancy sighed. "But if you're asking how did your father know that I loved him then you'll have to ask him." She sighed.  
  
"Oh." She could hear her son's heart drop. "Maybe I will."  
  
A wave of guilt hit Nancy Takaishi drowning her in a pool of bad memories and regret. She draped her arms around her son's neck and held him gently resting her head his shoulder. "I'm sorry son." She whispered.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For not having a male role model in your life." She sighed. "I wish you have someone to go to with these problems."  
  
"Hey mom, don't say that." Takeru smiled turning to his mother and giving her a hug. "Who would know women more, than my mother?" He smiled.  
  
"You're a good kid you know."  
  
"So you keep telling me." Takeru smiled. He looked into her mother's eyes, the windows to her soul and saw that she was still lost in sentimentality and the romance of the past. "Mom?"  
  
"Yes son?"  
  
"Why did you and daddy divorced?"  
  
Nancy Takaishi sighed looking at her son. 'Maybe it's time.' She thought. "Your father and I love each other very much, but we both love something more then ourselves." She sighed taking a deep breath. "Our careers."  
  
"What? I don't understand."  
  
"Your father and I got married too young. We were young and ambitious and had to be in the centre of our perspective universes, and when our universes collide we ended up fighting." Nancy sighed looking at her son; his eyes were still fixated with hers. "Your father and I are good together professionally, but intimately and personally, that was much to be desired."  
  
"You don't seem like that now." Takeru pointed out.  
  
His mother gave a warm smile. "Your father and I are older and a little wiser, and our perspectives in life has changed and so has our priorities." She smiled at the azure blue eyes of her son. "We realized that we don't have to be the centre of the universe to feel important and we realize the definition of love." She smiled.  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed with relief. "That's the reason."  
  
"You sound relieved."  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "For a long time I thought you and daddy broke up with each other because of me."  
  
"You?" Nancy gasped. "Why would you say that?" She asked with motherly concern.  
  
"Well when I was younger I asked Matt why you and dad were fighting so much. He told me that he didn't know, but remembers that the fighting started shortly after I was born." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Is that why you ran away from home?" His mother asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "I guess I should have found a better place to run away to then Kari's house." Takeru jested.  
  
"I'm glad you didn't." Nancy smiled.  
  
"Well I thought that if I ran away you and daddy would stop fighting." Takeru sighed. "That's a child's logic for you." He smiled to himself.  
  
"Takeru, you know that your father and I didn't separated because of you."  
  
"I know now." He sighed. "But for a long time I thought you did."  
  
"Takeru trust me, your father and I have been fighting long before you were born. Matt was too young to remember, but we were fighting before his birth too. I guess by the time you were born Matt remembers us fighting." Nancy reassured her son's concerns.  
  
"Do you still love daddy?"  
  
"Yeah, your father and I still love each other." Nancy smiled.  
  
"Then why don't you two get back together?" It has been a long dream of his for his parents to get back together.  
  
"Takeru, it's not that easy."  
  
"What do you mean? You just said that you and daddy still love each other."  
  
"Son, sometimes that's just not enough. Sometimes there's just too much pain in the past to go on. Sometimes things just don't work out." Nancy Takaishi sighed. 'Why does these excuses sound so hollow?' She asked herself. "Do you need a drive to school?" His mother asked trying to change the subject.  
  
"No." Takeru sighed taking the hint. "I think I'll walk." He sighed. "I need the fresh air." He sighed getting off his bed. "Thanks for the talk mom." He smiled kissing his mother on the cheek before leaving.  
  
Nancy followed her son out of his room and watched him get ready to leave. 'My he's grown up so fast.' She thought reminiscing. "You take care okay? Don't be late." She told her son as he left.  
  
"I might be a little late." Takeru confessed. "I might be walking Kari home."  
  
"All right." His mother smiled. "Just have Kari call me when she gets home so I know that you're on your way." Nancy compromised.  
  
"Okay." Takeru smiled leaving.  
  
She followed after he son to the threshold to their apartment. She watched as Takeru walked towards the elevator. "Have fun." She yelled down the hall. Her son waved and smiled at her mother as the elevator doors closed.  
  
There was only a slight breeze that served as Takeru's only companion that night. It was the perfect night to end the most beautiful day in his recollection. The full moon beamed its gentle glow unto the land winding down from its busy day. The ambient light of the city drowned all but two of the stars situated near the moon.  
  
If he were conscious of what he was doing, Takeru would have felt odd walking down the streets of Odaiba in a tuxedo. He would feel even more uncomfortable with the people gawking at him like a Picasso painting.  
  
Instead he was lost in a sea of thoughts. A fluctuation of wild musings ran through his mind like a violent storm. His thoughts about his parents and their relationship merged with the thoughts of his personal, internal crisis with Hikari and the redefinition of their relationship.  
  
The last thing he wanted to happen was a repeat of history. He didn't want his possible romantic relationship with Hikari to end up like his parents or end up in a messy dissociation where both he and Hikari are no longer friends, like what happened to Taichi, Yamato, and Sora.  
  
The laughter of children brought back happy memories of his youth. Things seem easier when they were younger. He remembers a time when he could say anything to Hikari without fear or care in the world, now as an older child words are more important and hold more meaning, and each word must be carefully thought before spoken. 'When was the first time I kept something form Kari?' He thought. He misses the naïveté and the serendipity of youth. 'Why are things so complicated?' He thought. 'Why can't things go back to the way they use to be?' He sighed reminiscing.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Nine years, eight months ago...  
  
"Where are we going?" Takeru smiled gleefully riding on his brother's shoulders.  
  
"I told you four times already." Yamato keenly replied. "We're going to my friend Tai's house."  
  
"Oh yeah." Takeru remembered. "Will he have toys to play?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cool." He laughed. "How much longer?"  
  
"We're here now."  
  
"Can I ring the doorbell?"  
  
"Sure." Yamato smiled.  
  
"Yea!" Takeru gleefully leaned towards the doorbell and pressed it. Seconds later Taichi opened the door.  
  
"Hey Tai."  
  
"Hi Matt, what's that growing on your head?" Taichi teased.  
  
"Oh that's Takeru, he's my brother." Yamato introduced.  
  
"Hi!" Takeru cheerfully greeted.  
  
"Hi Takeru."  
  
"I hope he could come over, my mom and dad had to work and I had to bring him along." Yamato explained.  
  
"Sure, no problem." Taichi said. "How old is he?"  
  
"Three." Takeru smiled showing three fingers.  
  
"Cool, my sister Hikari is three." Taichi smiled. "Com'on in I'll introduce you." Taichi said leading them further into his house. "Hey Hikari I have a new friend for you to play with."  
  
Hikari ran out of her room to where the three boys were standing with her whistle in her mouth. Yamato brought his brother off his shoulders and placed him in front of Hikari.  
  
"Hi!" Takeru sheepishly greeted. In response Hikari tweeted through her whistle. "Cool whistle."  
  
"Cool hat." Hikari smiled dropping the whistle from her mouth.  
  
"Thanks." They said in unison. They started laughing at their response.  
  
Taichi and Yamato looked at each other trying to figure out the humour of the situation. "Takeru, this is Hikari, my sister." Taichi introduced.  
  
"Hi 'kari."  
  
"No Takeru, her name is Hikari." Yamato corrected.  
  
"That's what I said." He said looking at his brother, somewhat confused.  
  
"That's okay he can call me Kari if I can call you...um...T.K."  
  
"Sure." Takeru shrugged his shoulder carelessly.  
  
"All right." Taichi sighed. "Kari why don't you bring T.K. into our room and play." He suggested. "While Matt and I play video games out here."  
  
"I said HE can call me Kari." She said pointed to her new friend.  
  
"Yeah!" Takeru added. "And SHE can call me T.K."  
  
"All right, sorry." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Wanna play?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Sure." Takeru replied following his new friend into her room. The room was simple, a desk, a drawer, and a bunk bed. "Cool kitty." Takeru said rushing towards the cat and petted it.  
  
"His name is Miko." Hikari introduced.  
  
"Hi Miko, my name is T.K." The cat affectionately purred back.  
  
"He likes you." Hikari reiterated.  
  
"You think?"  
  
"Yeah, he usually scratches people." Hikari said joining her new friend in playing with her cat. "Do you know what Tai told me?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Cats always land on their feet."  
  
"Really?" Takeru eyes dilated with interested. "Have you seen it?"  
  
"No." Hikari confessed.  
  
"Do you wanna try?"  
  
"Sure." Hikari smiled. "But how?"  
  
"I have an idea." Takeru said picking up the cat and placing it on the lower bed on the bunk.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
"We go to the other side of the room and call Miko to come over."  
  
"Good idea." Hikari smiled, running to the opposite side of the room. In unison they called the cat over and with ease the cat jumped down landing on its feet. "Hey Miko did it!" Hikari cheered running towards the cat.  
  
"That looks too easy." Takeru sighed with a hint of disappointment.  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Hikari sighed. "Wanna try it higher?" Hikari smiled looking at Takeru.  
  
"Higher?" He asked with a hint of confusion. Takeru watched Hikari pointed to the top bunk. "Good idea."  
  
The ladder was a challenge for the two three-year-olds to navigate, especially with a cat that was reluctant to climb up with them. It took about fifteen minutes for the two of them to accomplish this task. "Wow that was tough." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru agreed.  
  
They ran to the opposite side of the room and in unison they called the cat over and with greater difficulty the cat jumped down still landing on its feet. "Hey Miko did it again!" Hikari cheered running towards the cat. "Wanna try higher?"  
  
"Higher?" Takeru sighed. "What's higher then the top of the bunk bed?"  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed.  
  
They looked around the room and in the corner of Takeru's eyes he saw the balcony. "I know!" Takeru replied excitedly. "What about the balcony."  
  
The two kids ran outside, they got on their tiptoes and looked down. "I don't know it's really high." Hikari sighed. "I hope Miko doesn't get hurt." Hikari sighed handing over her cat to Takeru.  
  
"Me too." Takeru sighed dropping the cat. Miko let out a horrific scream that sent shivers down their spine.  
  
"What's going on here?" Taichi and Yamato came rushing in.  
  
The two quickly turned around hiding their hands behind their backs, trying to hide their deed. "Nothing." Takeru quickly defended.  
  
"Yeah, we didn't throw Miko over the balcony."  
  
"You throw Miko over the balcony!" Taichi freaked rushing towards the railing and peered over to see if his suspicions were correct.  
  
"I said we didn't throw Miko over the balcony!" Hikari corrected.  
  
"Then what is he doing down on the ground there?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Did he land on his feet?" The kids said in unison peering over the railing.  
  
"Hey I thought you kids didn't threw the cat over." Yamato said crossly.  
  
The two kids looked at each other. "Oops." They blushed. The two looked at their older brothers. They knew they were in trouble.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
'Ah the good old days.' Takeru smiled to himself. He unconsciously turned into the school like he did for the past two years of his life. Yet with all that familiarity it felt odd going to school at night, he felt like he was breaking in. Takeru thought it was silly to think like that; two years ago he would break in all the time with the other Digidestined to use the computer lab to get into the Digital World.  
  
He meandered into the gymnasium and was in awe by its sudden metamorphosis. Instead of the cold, republican, gymnasium, it was warm and chaotically decorated in a multitude of streamers and warm colours with candles romantically lit everywhere. Music echoed throughout the room instead of the customary eerie silence. "Wow." He said to himself.  
  
"Glad you like it." A girl with blue eyes and blond hair smiled.  
  
"Oh hey, Chastity." Takeru replied. "You did a really good job here." He complimented. Chastity Shiozaki, the head cheerleader, head of the formal committee, and unbeknownst to Takeru one of the many girls in the school who has a crush on him.  
  
"Thank you, we've worked really hard on it."  
  
"It shows." Takeru smiled searching the gymnasium for Hikari, but to Chastity she thought he was admiring her handiwork.  
  
"So do you want to dance?" She boldly asked.  
  
"What?" Takeru gasped. "I...I...don't really know how to dance." He stuttered, feeling his face turning red.  
  
"Come on it's easy." She said pulling Takeru to the dance floor. "You put your hand on my hip here, and hold my hand here." Chastity directed. "Now you lead me in the direction you want to take me." She directed.  
  
Being forced into a dance, he slowly swayed with Chastity while looking around the gymnasium for Hikari. Occupied while dancing Takeru sluggishly headed to his right, she to the left, and he ended up stepping on her foot. "I'm sorry." He blushed realizing that he had to pay attention.  
  
"That's okay." Chastity smiled. "Relax, you're too tense." She advised. Takeru took her suggested and relaxed taking a deep breath and looked at into her sapphire blue eyes giving up his search for Hikari, she obviously wasn't there yet. "There that's better." She smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Takeru said uncomfortably. He didn't know what to say to her. 'What do you usually talk about with her?' He thought to himself. Basketball and school were the only answers that came to him. 'No.' He sighed. He didn't feel right talking about school or basketball in this social context. "So what do you have plan for the summer?" Takeru asked the first thing that crossed his mind.  
  
"Well glad you asked..." Chastity smiled.  
  
Takeru pretended to listen to her giving a nod or give an affirmative grunt now and then. 'How long is this song?' He thought. 'No that's insensitive.' He corrected and listened to the rest of her plans for the summer. Shortly after she finished the song ended. "Well I hope you have fun." Takeru smiled stopping the dance. "Thanks for the dance." He said backing up. "Hope to see you soon." He smiled heading to the refreshment table.  
  
"So many girls, so little time." Hikari's mocking voice came from behind.  
  
Takeru smiled turning around to see her. "Wow." He exclaimed having his breath taking away by her beauty. His breath was not the only thing that went, but his voice too. Hikari saw his mouth moving, but nothing was coming out.  
  
She smiled and suppressed a chuckle. "T.K., your mouth is moving, but nothing's coming out." Hikari said placing her index finger on his lip.  
  
Takeru blushed and cleared his throat. "I just wanted to say that you're ravishing." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Thank you." She smiled. "You look dapper yourself." Hikari complemented back taking Takeru's drink and took a sip.  
  
"Compared to you I'm just dirt." Takeru flirted.  
  
"Flatter." She smiled playfully hitting Takeru.  
  
Takeru smiled at her remark. 'God she looks beautiful.' He thought still enticed by her beauty. A new slow song suddenly started, interrupting his thoughts. "Care to dance?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Love to." She smiled putting her cup down.  
  
Takeru slowly escorted her onto the dance floor gently holding her hand. They embraced, locking their eyes at each other. He held her gently placing one hand on the small of her back and clasping the other with her hand. His heart started to beat faster, the environment suddenly turned warm.  
  
Hikari looked into his blue eyes, being lost in them. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but all she could see was her feelings for him. Not the affections associated with a best friend, but the feelings for a lover, the same feelings she had that morning in the elevator. She was drowning in the pools of royal blue eyes.  
  
Unconsciously she ran her fingers through his flaxen hair. 'What am I doing?' Hikari thought coming out of her trance. 'He's my best friend and has feelings for another girl.' She quickly took her fingers out of his hair. "I like what you done with your hair." She smiled giving the first excuse that ran through her mind.  
  
"Really? My mother did it." Takeru smiled. "It is called styling mousse."  
  
"Takeru Takaishi having styling mousse in his hair, what is this universe coming to." Hikari teased. "Your mother forgot your top hat didn't she?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Is it that obvious?"  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" She answered enigmatically. "I really like it." Hikari smiled. "You should wear your hair like this more often."  
  
"You think?" Takeru hinted.  
  
She nodded in affirmation. In her peripheral vision she saw Chastity Shiozaki looking at them like a hawk. "Don't look now, but I think Chastity's looking at us." Hikari whispered into his ear.  
  
"Oh, she is." Takeru gasped.  
  
"She's not the girl you like is she?" Hikari noted.  
  
Takeru heart skipped a beat, frighten that she found out his secret feelings for her. He then realized that she was still oblivious to whom the girl was. "Why would you say that?" He asked interested in her reasons.  
  
"Well, you ran away from her from the dance floor when the song finished." Hikari pointed out. "Am I right?"  
  
"Maybe? Wouldn't you like to know?" He hinted for both possibilities. Secretly, Takeru noted her logic and smiled to himself. 'She knows me so well.' He sighed.  
  
"So who is this girl that has capture your heart?"  
  
"Actually to tell you the truth, the girl I like is..."  
  
"Hey T.P. get your hands off my girl!" Daisuke bellowed from the entrance.  
  
"How did I know that would happened?" Takeru sighed above a whisper.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. It seems that the universe is conspiring against him. Every time he has the courage to tell Hikari his feelings Daisuke would interrupt him just before he was about to tell her, either directly or indirectly. This time was no exception.  
  
The senior class gasped darting their attention towards Daisuke, he blushed at his outburst. They sighed in unison and stopped their dance mid-song and sauntered towards the ever-boisterous Daisuke Motomiya.  
  
In the corner of his eye he noticed that Hikari was fuming. "Kari, please don't make a scene." Takeru whispered.  
  
She was shocked to hear him talk calmly through the rather embarrassing scene. 'Actually, T.K. has always been a steady rock.' Hikari considered her best friend's words. 'Could it be that he's found someone else? Is that why he doesn't get angry when Davis call me his?' She was hurt by that thought. 'No, I have to be happy for him if he and she gets together, whoever she is.' She sighed sadly. "You're right." She finally replied. "Thanks for not letting me make a bad scene worse." Hikari smiled. "Thanks for being a good friend and for protecting my honour." She sighed.  
  
"Yeah, no problem." Takeru sighed. "What are friends for?" His heart cracked deeper when he asked the rhetorical question. 'Is that how she really feels towards me...a good friend?' He allowed that doubt to deepen his wound. 'Would she change her mind if I told her my feelings?'  
  
"Hey Kari you wanna dance?" Daisuke asked oblivious to what he had done.  
  
Takeru could see Hikari's eyes burn with anger. "No now." She whispered. "I have to go to the washroom." She lied storming out of the gymnasium.  
  
"Hey Kari." Ken smiled entering the gymnasium. She unapologetically pushed Ken out of the way. "You look great." He said half to himself. Ken walked into the gymnasium. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked oblivious to what had happened earlier.  
  
"No Ken." Takeru sighed. "But ask Davis here."  
  
"What did you do Davis?" Ken probed.  
  
"Shut up, Ichijouji." Ken exasperated leaving his friends at the entrance.  
  
"This is going to be an interesting formal." Ken sighed ominously.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "I'm going to check up on Kari." He said leaving the gymnasium.  
  
"Interesting indeed." Ken sighed.  
  
The formal was like most typical dances in elementary school. The boys would lean against the wall on one side of the room and the girls would do the same on the opposite wall.  
  
Occasionally a boy would venture across the mental precipice that they all imagine and asked a girl he liked to dance. If successful the boys would secretly cheer for his victory and the girls would hope that they would be the next person to be asked. If unsuccessful the girls would giggle at the attempt and the boys would try to build his ego back.  
  
Ken was trying to diffuse Daisuke anger in one corner of the gymnasium and on the other side; Takeru was trying to do the same thing with Hikari. Near the end of the night the dance was picking up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Ken asked.  
  
"To apologize to Kari and ask her to dance." Daisuke sighed leaving his friend's presence. He was in the middle of the gymnasium when an announcement was made.  
  
"All right, boys and girls." Mr. Nakamura, the principal of Odaiba Elementary announced. Everyone stopped what he or she were doing and watched intently at him. "It's time to announce the king and queen of the formal." A wave of excitement suddenly overwhelmed the gymnasium. "The king of the formal is...Daisuke Motomiya." He said opening the envelope.  
  
"What?" He gasped. For the first time in his life he was flabbergasted at what he heard. He slowly, but steadily headed towards the principal where Chastity Shiozaki placed the royal robe around his neck and a crown on his head.  
  
"And for the queen..."  
  
'Please, please, please.' Daisuke hoped, prayed that it would be...  
  
"Hikari Kamiya."  
  
"Yes." Daisuke cheered to himself.  
  
Hikari looked at Takeru with a surprised look. Takeru smiled in return. "Go on." He smiled. "Your public is awaiting you, you're majesty." He teased watching her walked towards the stage to accept her cloak and tiara.  
  
"And now for the king and queen dance."  
  
'Oh great.' Takeru sighed.  
  
Daisuke escorted Hikari toward the centre of the gymnasium and held her. The music struck and the slowly waltzed to the song.  
  
'Isn't Romantic.' Takeru thought. 'Why does it have to be that song?' He sighed meandering his way towards Ken.  
  
Daisuke looked into Hikari eyes and downed in its warmth. "Maybe this is fate." He smiled. "Telling us that we are meant to be together." Daisuke suggested.  
  
"Well Davis, you know what they say." Hikari smiled. "Fate can sometimes be blind." Daisuke felt crestfallen, she noticed it. "I forgive you Davis." Hikari whispered.  
  
"Really?" He smiled.  
  
"Yeah." She confessed. "I took it out of proportion."  
  
"I'm sorry for embarrassing you." Daisuke sighed. "I didn't mean to. It's just that sometimes I lose control of my feelings." He sighed.  
  
"Oh Davis." Hikari sighed. "Sometimes you're just too much." She smiled.  
  
"So you really do forgive me?"  
  
"Yeah, just don't do it again." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Hey Kari I wanted to ask you something..."  
  
The song ended before Daisuke could finish his sentence. Hikari had a gut feeling what he wanted to asked her and quickly escorted him towards Takeru and Ken were talking. "Hey Ken, wanna dance?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Sure." Ken smiled, heading towards the dance floor.  
  
"Oh." Daisuke groaned punching the wall.  
  
"What's wrong?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Nothing." He pouted.  
  
"All right, if you say so." Takeru sighed.  
  
They remained silent watching Ken and Hikari dancing. Takeru knew that it was rather innocent, but he wasn't sure if Daisuke felt the same way. He looked at him and saw that he was angry. 'Why can't Davis and I be amicable with each other?' He sighed. 'Especially, after everything we experienced together in the Digital World?' He thought. 'I guess we will always be this way, until Kari chooses who she wants to be with.' Takeru sighed returning his attention to the dancing pair.  
  
Daisuke tried to suppress his anger, and his jealousy towards Takeru. 'Why do I feel this way?' He thought. Daisuke knew that Hikari's dance with Ken was nothing to worry about; he figured that she didn't want to play favourites with her friends. She had already danced with T.K., himself, and now Ken. His main concern was with Takeru. 'What's so special about him?' He thought. 'Just because they know each other longer and share more time together in the Digital World together doesn't mean Kari should like me any less.' He sighed. 'But why does she always side with T.K.?"  
  
The song ended and they headed towards where Daisuke and Takeru were standing. "Thanks for the dance." Hikari smiled. "I didn't know you know how to dance."  
  
"Its rather simple, but interesting mathematics." Ken sighed.  
  
"Spoken like a true valedictorian." Hikari smiled.  
  
Ken blushed at the comment. "I wonder what's going on there?" He asked rhetorically looking at both Daisuke and Takeru.  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "I wonder why they can't be amicable together?" She asked rhetorically.  
  
"I think Davis still sees T.K. as a threat to win your affections."  
  
"That's silly." Hikari smirked. "T.K. and I are just friends, why can't he see that?" She sighed. "I know T.K. wants to be Davis' friend, but I just can't see why Davis doesn't want to be friends with T.K." She sighed.  
  
'I wouldn't be too sure of that.' Ken thought to himself. He had had suspicions that Takeru does have feelings for Hikari and Daisuke's reactions are justified, but it was only his private theory.  
  
"All right kids, time for the last dance!" Mr. Nakamura announced. "Ladies' choice." He added.  
  
"Com'on T.K." Hikari smiled.  
  
Takeru blushed and took her hand. They walked towards the centre of the gymnasium and started dancing. "Thanks for dancing with me." Hikari smiled. "I know I'm not the girl you like, but at least I don't have to dance with Davis again." She sighed.  
  
"No problem." Takeru smiled. "Is he really that bad?"  
  
"No, it's not that." Hikari sighed. "It's just that I think Davis was about to ask me out again?" She sighed.  
  
"What so different about that?" Takeru sighed. "He's been asking you out every week for the better part of two years." He pointed out.  
  
"I know...it's just that he's wearing me down." Hikari sighed. "Do you think I'm too mean not to go out with him?" She asked.  
  
Takeru debated to himself. 'I could tell her no and she won't go out with him, but then she has been a little rough on him.' He thought. 'If I answer yes, I could lose her to him.' He sighed. Takeru looked into her eyes and knew that he had to tell the truth. "A little." Takeru sighed above a whisper; the words emanated difficulty through his mouth.  
  
"So you think I should go out with him?" She asked.  
  
Takeru couldn't even bare the pain with answering that question. "I don't think I'm the right person to ask." He replied trying to hide his feeling and his tears.  
  
"And who is?" She smiled. "My brother? Please he'll kill Davis before he could ask me out again." Hikari smiled. "Besides, you're my best friend, and I don't feel comfortable talking about this with Ken." She pointed out.  
  
'I can't stand this much longer.' His eyes became watery; he wanted to cry. 'Not in front of Kari.' He reminded himself. Takeru looked into her brown eyes and was compelled to tell her an honest answer. 'What would I like Davis to say if the situation between Davis and I are switched?' He thought. "Kari, go out with him if you want to, don't do it if you're pressured, or feel sorry for him. Davis deserves better than that and so do you."  
  
Hikari smiled. "You're right." Letting her fingers run through his blond hair. "Thanks for the great advise." She smiled wrapping her arms around his neck and rested her head on his torso.  
  
Takeru pulled her in closer and smelled her lilac and lavender hair, his heart beating harder and faster. "Kari, there's something I want to tell you." He sighed. "Could we talk after the dance...alone?" Takeru asked, his voice cracked from both sadness and anxiousness.  
  
"Why can't you tell me now?" She lifted her head and gazed into his blue eyes.  
  
"It's personal." He lied. The truth of the matter was he was on the brink of tears and couldn't tell her his feelings.  
  
"Okay." She smiled, resting her head back on his torso.  
  
They held each other intimately dancing to an ambient song. 'This seems perfect.' Takeru asked. 'But has Kari only sees me as a friend and moved on to Davis?' He thought.  
  
Hikari played with the lapel on his tuxedo thinking how perfect this felt. Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of passion hit her, the same feeling that she had earlier that morning. 'No this is wrong.' She sighed. 'T.K. is my friend and likes someone else.' She sighed.  
  
They were lost in their private thoughts, in their own world to have known that the music had stopped and the formal was over. Their thoughts consumed them so much that the exodus of students leaving didn't invade their world.  
  
"Mr. Takaishi, Miss. Kamiya." A voice interrupted them. "The dance is over."  
  
"Oh." They blushed in unison letting go of each other. They looked around the gymnasium and saw that almost everyone was gone. Ken and Daisuke was nowhere to be seen either.  
  
"I guess we should be going." Takeru blushed to Mr. Nakamura, remembering all his lectures earlier that afternoon when he was in detention.  
  
"I think that's a good idea, Mr. Takaishi." He said sternly.  
  
The two quickly rushed out of the gymnasium where crowds of students were looking at them. "I have to go to the washroom." Hikari whispered to him.  
  
"All right. I'll wait outside." Takeru smiled heading for the exit.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
In the darkness of the stairwell sat a very sad, very crushed, very broken-hearted Daisuke Motomiya. "Why doesn't she like me?" He whimpered resting his arms on his knees and burying his head in the hollow of his arms to dry his flowing tears.  
  
For as long as he could remember he had always liked Hikari Kamiya, he didn't know it then, but if he knew that one-day he would make a fool of himself for her, he might reconsider his feelings. 'Probably not.' He sighed whipping his tear on his arms.  
  
For a long time he had watched her and saw how much she loved her brother, being Taichi's protégé was just happenstance, and he thought Hikari would like him because of their similarities. His love of soccer has always been with him. His mother claimed that he learned how to kicked a soccer ball before he learned to walk. It was inevitable that they became on the same team, later become good friends, and ultimately sharing the emblem of courage in the Digital World.  
  
'Yet that didn't make any difference.' He thought reminiscing of a time where promises were kept, crushed were real and relationships always lived happily ever after. 'What happened to those time?' He sighed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Five years ago...  
  
'What in hell is the world coming to?' An eight-year-old Daisuke thought. He world was coming to an end, the weather was going crazy, a blanket of fog covering the city, monsters was attacking, ghosts coming to his house dragging him to the Convention Centre where a plethora of children were kept crying for their parents.  
  
In the mist of the chaos Daisuke kept his calm very well, he was a more curious child then, which got him to loads of trouble and this day would be a dozy for him. The line seemed endless and guarded well with ghosts, which he would later know as Bakemon.  
  
"I want my mommy!" The girl behind him cried.  
  
Daisuke turned around to look at her. "Be quiet or the ghost will come." He hushed at the girl. The little girl cried even the louder.  
  
"Quiet!" The Bakemon demanded. "Keep moving! Our master wants to see you."  
  
'Master?' The curious Daisuke sighed. 'Wonder who's he's talking about?' He thought closing the gap between the boy in front of him. The girl for the time being kept her tears in.  
  
Daisuke would find out soon. He approached the inner sanctum of the Convention Centre and in the distance he saw a tall, mysterious man well dressed and in a flowing black cape, wearing a pink mask. 'Is that their master?' Daisuke thought. 'Kinda looks like Count Dracula.' He sighed.  
  
As he approached closer he saw a small white cat standing on its hind legs, wearing yellow claw gloves shaking its head reluctantly as each child pass them. 'Funny cat.' He thought. 'I think Count Dracula is asking her something.' He sighed. 'Wonder why he only wants children?' Daisuke thought.  
  
They approached closer to the point of hearing distance. "Well Gatomon is this the Eighth Child?" The vampire asked.  
  
'Gatomon? Is that the cat's name? And who and what's this Eighth Child?' Daisuke thought with confusion. 'It seems like every answer I get, more question come up.' He thought.  
  
"No." The cat replied.  
  
'The cat could talk!' Daisuke freaked out. This was the first time he ever felt scared ever since the world has been thrown into chaos. 'What is the world coming to?' He thought, this time with more fear. The vampire asked the same question to the boy in front of him.  
  
Now it was his turn. "Well Gatomon is this the Eighth Child?" The cat shook her head to answer the negative. Daisuke was pushed aside and watch the girl behind him approached the vampire and cat. In frustration the vampire grabbed the girl. "Well Gatomon is this the Eighth Child?" He asked, holding the trembling child. Gatomon shook her head. "Are you sure, because if you're lying I'll destroy everyone in here." He threatened; the screams of the children increased with his threat, he revelled in it.  
  
Gatomon looked up at him with glaring eyes, ignoring the rising, ambient cries of the children. The silence was unbearable for Daisuke that he wanted to scream calling the vampire every bad name he could remember.  
  
A bat with a big head flew in. "Myotismon! You'll love this boss I found the Eighth Digidestined." The bat smiled evilly.   
  
'A giant bat with wings talking?' He gasped. 'Why would that surprise me? Talking ghost, talking cat, why not talking bats?' He listened as their conversation continued. 'Myotismon? Is that Count Dracula's name?' Daisuke thought with a wave of fear overcoming him.  
  
Myotismon looked at the little bowling ball with wings, "You did?!"  
  
"What?! How'd he do it?" An older girl with long brown hair wearing her pink pyjamas wondered (A girl Daisuke would soon know as Mimi Tachikawa). It was the first time Daisuke noticed her, Mimi was several kids behind him in the line.  
  
"Oh no, not Kari," Gatomon looked down with worry.  
  
'Kari? Is she the eighth child?' He thought overhearing the cat.  
  
"Hear that? It's over." Myotismon bellows in triumph. Gatomon angrily looked at him while Myotismon told the talking bat that he has no need for the kids.  
  
"Right, what should I do to them oh, evil one?" The bat asked in anticipation, smiling gleefully.  
  
"Make them go to sleep, I'll find a way to deal with them later." With that Myotismon levitates and flew off, with Gatomon behind being carried by his bats.  
  
'Oh no you don't.' Daisuke thought quickly hiding himself in a corner of the room. A fine mist covered the Convention Centre and the kids that were touched, fall down...fast asleep. 'Wow what power.' He thought with fear. Daisuke waited until everyone was asleep before he made his escape.  
  
Daisuke ran towards the entrance where he witnessed a group of Bakemon being destroyed by a blazing ball of inferno. 'What's going on?' He gasped.  
  
"They didn't stand a ghost of a chance!" The boy, whom he would know as Taichi congratulated his digimon, the Tyrannosaurus Rex that he would later come to know as Greymon.  
  
Daisuke suddenly heard someone coming from behind him. 'Could it be Myotismon?' He thought running to hide. It wasn't the vampire, but Mimi running out when she heard the commotion and stepped out of the room. 'How did she wake up?' He thought remembering seeing her engulfed in the sleeping mist.   
  
"Tai you made it inside!" Mimi cried with joy.   
  
"Mimi, where are the others?" Tai asks.   
  
"They're all fast asleep, Myotismon put them all under some kind of spell; since he found the Eighth Child." Mimi explains.  
  
'They looking for the eight child too?' Daisuke thought, still hiding. 'This mystery is getting more and more complicated.' He sighed. 'I have to find this eight child.' He thought.  
  
Tai was shocked by the news, "Oh no, that means he has Kari!"   
  
"Kari?" Mimi asked, wondering what Tai is talking about.   
  
"Come on let's go."   
  
'Kari there's that name again. She is the eighth child!' Daisuke thought smiling. Finally, he knew a part of the puzzle. 'Wonder where they're going?' He thought. He looked into the distance and saw the vampire heading towards the communications Tower of the television station.  
  
'Gotta get there fast.' Daisuke thought seeing an unlocked bicycle.  
  
Moments later...  
  
He was out of breath when he got to the television studio. He quickly parked the stolen bicycle on the side of the building. 'I don't think the kid would mind.' He reasoned.  
  
'I hope I'm in the right place.' Daisuke sighed. He ventured inside the television studio while the children were occupied with the arrival of an older blue haired kid, and a small blond hair kid dressed in green with a funny hat. He would later learn their names, Jou and Takeru, respectively.  
  
They were arguing about the allegiance of the short man dressed like a wizard. He looked up at the Communications Tower and saw the fog was thicker there. 'I bet the eight child is there.' He sighed sneaking into the Television Centre.  
  
Inside, he meandered through the ghosts and managed to reach the top where he witnessed a bigger ghost dressed in a red cloak holding up his golden scythe. A brown hair girl was standing there with a whistle around her neck. His heart jumped. 'Is that Kari?' His heart started to flutter. 'Whoever she is, she's so brave and beautiful.' He admired. 'Where's Myotismon? Did I beat him here?' He thought.  
  
Suddenly with that thought bats entered the area where Kari stood. Myotismon slowly lowered himself down. "I've got you my pretty and your little cat too!" He said holding Gatomon. Hikari gasped. "Little girl, why have you chosen to show yourself to me? Do you have any idea what's about to happen to you?" Myotismon asks icily.   
  
"Yeah. I guess."   
  
'Wow she's so brave.' He thought having all ready fallen for her.  
  
"Then why?"   
  
"Cause you were hurting all those people; someone had to stop you from hurting innocent people!" Kari said with courage.   
  
Myotismon looked at the small girl and was surprised by her bravery. "My, what a thoughtful little girl you are." He smiled his insidious grin. "Why won't you look at the Eighth Child's face?" Myotismon asked Gatomon. Her face still turned away from Kari.   
  
"Because she's not the Eighth Child. Who is she? I've never seen her in my life." Gatomon lied.   
  
"Is that right?" Myotismon smiled snapping his fingers. The talking bat flew towards Kari and pulling her hair.   
  
"Kari NO!" Gatomon yelled trying to protect Kari.   
  
"Kari...interesting you know her name since you never met her before."  
  
"Hurry, it's up here." A voice announced another person's presence. It was the kids outside the Television Studio.  
  
Daisuke sensed a battle coming. 'Oh no, better go.' He thought quickly leaving the station. Daisuke sneaked past the kids that came up and Myotismon. It was a good thing they were busy fighting each other to notice that he was there.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
His tears burned at the memory when he first met Hikari. He was infatuated her since the day he saw her. "Maybe my sister is right." He silently sobbed. "Maybe she does like T.K." Hot tears ran down his cheeks, knowing for the first time that Hikari didn't return the feelings he has for her. "I've been such a fool." He sobbed resting his head in the hollow of his arms. "Why?" He wept silently.  
  
"Davis?" Hikari's angelic voice came interrupting his solitude.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Daisuke waned defensively drying his tears, turning his back to her. He didn't want to see her, if he did; he feared that he couldn't control his tears.  
  
"You're crying." Hikari observed joining him on the stairwell and gently putting her hand on his shoulder for comfort.  
  
"Just leave me alone!" Daisuke retracted. "Please." He begged.  
  
"Are you sure you want to be alone?" Hikari asked rhetorically. "I can't leave my friend when he's down."  
  
"Just go!" He demanded, hiding his face and tears from her.  
  
"All right." She sighed. "I'll be there when and if you need to talk." She offered. Hikari got up and head towards the front of the school, where Takeru was waiting, albeit with some reluctance. Innately, she could never leave her friends when they're hurting, but what can she do if they refuse her help.  
  
"Why?" Daisuke's voice startled her flight.  
  
Confused, Hikari stopped in her tracks. "Pardon?" She asked with a hint of puzzlement. She turned slowly, oblivious to why he asked that question and approached him sitting beside him.  
  
"You don't know, do you?" He scoffed seeing Hikari shaking her head through his tears, flabbergasted at what she saw. "Why don't you like me?" He asked above a whisper.  
  
"Who says I don't like you?" Hikari sighed, feeling sorry for causing him to come to tears.  
  
"You did." He said above a whisper.  
  
"I did." She gasped. "When?"  
  
"Well not directly." He said drying his cheeks. Daisuke thought of a why he could explain the raging feelings inside. "You choose T.K. for the last dance and not me." He sighed. 'Man that sounded childish - hey wait a minute I am a kid.' He thought instantly regretting what he said.  
  
"Oh that." Hikari sighed. "You shouldn't read too much into it. I just did it because I needed to talk to T.K." Hikari replied giving the half-truth. "I'm sorry for hurting you, I didn't mean too." She sighed.  
  
"Then what about the other times?" Daisuke asked bitterly.  
  
"Other times?"  
  
"The other times you sided with T.K. over me." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"Honestly?" Hikari asked, trying to sort through her answer.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Sometimes you're just so irritating." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Oh great, now I'm irritating." Daisuke exasperated.  
  
"No, that's not what I meant." Hikari sighed. "Sometimes the way you show your affections for me, just makes me so frustrated and to be honest, it's something I didn't want to deal with right there and then." She sighed. "I don't know if this making any sense..."  
  
"Yeah, it does." Daisuke sighed. "Sometimes I do go overboard, and do things that backfires in my face. It's just that...it's just that I don't think you'll like me if I didn't." He said the last part above a whisper.  
  
"Who said I wouldn't?"  
  
"Hikari Kamiya, the most beautiful girl in the school, the bearer of the digimantle of light, and the angel of light in the dark void I call my life." Daisuke pointed out. "You deserve everything I could give and more."  
  
"What I deserve is the truth." Hikari pointed out. She looked at Daisuke and saw that he was oblivious to what she was thinking. "Davis, let's just say, hypothetically, I do fall in love with you. The person you think I deserve. I'll be falling in love with a lie, and sooner or later, a lie reveals itself. How would it make me feel to find out that the same man I love is not the man I fell in love with?" Hikari pointed out.  
  
"You're right, I don't deserve you." Daisuke sulked getting ready to leave.  
  
Hikari pulled him gently back down towards her. "No, Davis, the truth of the matter is I don't deserve you. I don't deserve your acclamation, adoration, or glorification." She told him bluntly. "You deserve someone who adores you as much as you adore her." Hikari pointed out. "I'm not that girl."  
  
"You're all the girl that I want."  
  
Hikari blushed at the comment. "Oh, Davis, you're so incorrigible." She said putting her head on his shoulder. "If you really want to win my heart you don't have to try so hard and you don't have to be so possessive, especially around T.K." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Really?" He sounded surprised putting his arm around her.  
  
"Yeah, you know the dozen roses you put in my locker this morning?" She asked rhetorically. "That's the sort of things that could win my heart." Hikari sighed. "I don't need all the publicity or the world's awareness of our relationship. I'm a woman of simple needs and wants."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
"So you'll be my girlfriend?"  
  
Hikari bolted up from his shoulder looking into his brown eyes. "There you go again trying too hard." She exasperated.  
  
"All right." He sighed. "How about a date?"  
  
"That's better." Hikari smiled looking into his eyes. 'Look at him, he looks so hopeful. How can I break his heart?' She thought. "I'm sorry, I can't." She did it regardless.  
  
"Why not?" Daisuke asked looking into her eyes. An epiphany hit him. "Oh, I see." The idea broke his heart. "So you do like T.K.?" He sighed.  
  
"No, that's not the reason." Hikari sighed. "Our relationship is platonic."  
  
"You two radioactive?"  
  
Hikari suppressed a chuckle and smiled. "No Davis, that's plutonium." She couldn't help but to give a slight giggle.  
  
"I knew that."  
  
She suppressed a smile and reiterated her point. "T.K. and I are just friends, best friends." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Then you're not attracted to T.K.?" Daisuke pointed out.  
  
Hikari let that question float in her mind for a bit. "I would be lying if I told you that I'm not attracted to him, but at the end of the day, T.K. and I are just friends. We have been friends since we were three; there's no surprise, for Gennai sakes we've even seen each other naked..."  
  
"You have?!?"  
  
Hikari chuckled at his response. "It's rather innocent Davis, we were three and we took baths together." She rationalized her statement, placing her hand on his thigh. "The point is T.K. and I are just friends, besides he likes someone else." She added.  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
Daisuke could see the gears in her head rolling, trying to find the name. "I don't know, every time he tries to tell me we get interrupted." Hikari confessed. "Please don't tell him I told you, I don't think he wants anyone to know." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I won't." Daisuke promised. "So why won't you go out with me?"  
  
"Davis, just leave it." Hikari sighed wanting to run.  
  
"I need a reason." Daisuke said grabbing her arm gently, forcing her to come back. "I deserve the truth too." Hikari looked into his eyes and exasperated.  
  
"That's really dirty, using what I told you against me." She pointed out sitting back down beside him.  
  
"I learn from the best." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"The truth of the matter is...you scare me."  
  
"I what?"  
  
"You are so certain that you like me, before knowing who I really am. You know that whole heatedly without any doubt, without hesitation or indecision. How can you be so sure that I am the one?" Hikari asked.  
  
"I'm not." Daisuke confessed. "But it doesn't change how I feel for you. Look Kari, I'm not asking you to marry me, not yet any ways, just one date."  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Hey, I'm scared too." Daisuke confessed.  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke confessed. "We're about to take our relationship to the next step, who wouldn't be scared, but we can't run away from everything we are scared of, or we'll miss out on the best things out of life. Like a date with me." He smiled. "Com'on just one date and I promise not to go overboard."  
  
"Daisuke Motomiya not go overboard? That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one." Hikari sighed to herself.  
  
"Oh great, first you make me cry, then you call me irritating, and now you're calling me names." Daisuke pouted.  
  
"No Davis, an oxymoron is...Never mind, I'm sorry for calling you a name."  
  
"You can make it up by going out with me." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"You are relentless aren't you?" Hikari asked rhetorically. She looked into his puppy dog eyes. "You promise you won't make a big deal about it?"  
  
"Scout's honour." Daisuke smiled giving the scout's salute with a huge grin on his face.  
  
Hikari suppressed a smile and corrected his salute. "Some boy scout, getting your salute wrong and everything." Daisuke blushed at the discovery of his deceit. "All right, one date." Hikari sighed.  
  
"All right!" Daisuke jumped up screaming. "I can't wait to tell..."  
  
"Davis." Hikari said sternly, her arms crossed around her chest.  
  
"No one, absolutely, positively no one." He smiled blushing remembering his promise.  
  
"Com'on, it's late and I have to get home." Hikari smiled getting up.  
  
"I could walk you home if you like." Daisuke offered following her.  
  
"That's okay." Hikari sighed. "T.K. is walking me home."  
  
"Oh." Daisuke felt crestfallen.  
  
Hikari looked at him and had compassion on him. "Actually, it is better if you walk me home, it is on your way." Hikari sighed.  
  
They walked arm in arm through the empty corridors of the school and exited the building where Takeru was waiting for Hikari. The blond hair boy was obviously nervous. He had been pacing and contemplating how he could tell her his feelings. He heard the doors open and put a huge grimace on his face.  
  
"There you are!" Takeru exclaimed, his smile died when he saw the sight of Daisuke. "I thought you fell in the toilet or something." His voice turned nonchalantly at the sight of Daisuke.  
  
"I almost did." Hikari teased back. "Thanks for waiting, but if you don't mind, Davis is going to walk me home, it's late and it is out of the way for you." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"I don't mind."  
  
"Your mother would."  
  
Takeru sighed taking a deep breath. "Actually the reason I wanted to walk you home is to talk to you about something." He confessed.  
  
"Well what is it?"  
  
He looked at Hikari smiling and then at Daisuke's face. They were both waiting to hear his news. "In private." He stressed.  
  
"Can it wait? It is getting late."  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. It was difficult to tell his feelings to Hikari when he was alone, but in front of Daisuke it would be impossible. "It's not important." He lied.  
  
"Thanks for waiting." Hikari smiled kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"Good night." He said above a whisper. She smiled back and walked arm and arm with Daisuke. He was crestfallen at the sight of Daisuke taking off his coat and draping it around Hikari's shoulders. He stood there in the middle of the night, cold, freezing, and late, but inside he felt colder. "Why do I get the feeling that I lost her?" He sighed to himself walking away.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment. [2] Daisuke's flashback scene is taken and loosely based on the first season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Wizardmon's Gift". [3] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	3. Prelude to a Date.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Wow! I didn't expect so many responses from my last chapter! Because of your responses I rushed to write this chapter (thank you to all my reviewers). This chapter is a little longer than I wanted...okay a lot longer then I wanted, but I hope you enjoy it nevertheless.  
  
On a short note, I couldn't find the name of Yamato and Takeru's father anywhere and my little brother, the Digimon aficionado was in the dark about this one, so if anyone knows please tell me - it'll be easier to refer to him by name in the future.  
  
Finally, although this chapter has a lot of Daikari elements and may suggest that the story is going that way, rests assure that I'm still in debate whether it'll end up a Takari or Daikari (I have not seen enough Digimon episodes to have an opinion yet). So all you Takari freaks out there don't flame me...it's just one date! All in all, enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Love is like a knife, it can stab the heart,  
or it can carve wonderful images into the soul that will last a lifetime."  
  
- Unknown.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER THREE: PRELUDE TO A DATE.  
  
"Davis! Breakfast's ready!" His mother bellowed from the living room. "Where is that boy? This is the third time I called him for breakfast." She exasperated putting the food on the table.  
  
"That IS unlike Davis." Jun Motomiya, Daisuke's older sister replied putting a piece of fruit into her mouth. "He usually bolts out of bed before you finish your first announcement of breakfast." She pointed out.  
  
"Could you go check on him? I'm worried about him."  
  
"Do I have too?" She whined.  
  
"Please." Her mother replied. "I still have to bring the rest of the breakfast out." She pointed out disappearing into the kitchen.  
  
Frustrated, Jun walked to her brother's room pounding on the door, screaming his name, and telling him to get up. "All right I'm coming in." She warned opening the door.  
  
To her amazement the room was emptied...and clean. "What in the world is going on?" She silently cursed to herself. To see her brother's room clean was...well this was the first time she saw her brother's room this clean. Jun headed towards the desk and picked up a note. "Mom, don't worry, went to school early, Davis."  
  
With astonishment she put the note back down noticing for the first time that his soccer ball was resting neatly on his desk. "Okay what's wrong with this picture?" She asked to herself. 'Davis going to school early and not for soccer? Being considerate enough to leave a note? His clean room? Missing breakfast!?!' She gasped at the last thought. 'I hope he isn't sick.' She thought leaving the room. "Mom, you won't believe this but..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Tai is there something wrong?" Hikari asked putting her breakfast plate in the sink and started to wash it. Taichi was still silent, playing with his food. She looked at him with concern. 'He has been like that all morning.' She sighed. "Tai?"  
  
"Yeah, Kari what is it?"  
  
"Is something wrong?" She reiterated her question. "You haven't touched your breakfast." She pointed out.  
  
"Oh that." Taichi sighed scrapping his breakfast in the garbage. "You know how I loathe healthy food." He pointed out.  
  
Hikari knew that this was an excuse, a lie, and Taichi knew that his sister knew. "You have been exceptionally quiet since your formal last night." She pointed out. "Did something happen last night? Did you and Matt have a fight last night?" She probed.  
  
"No." Taichi lied.  
  
His sister knew that her brother was lying, and he knew that his sister knew. "Honestly, Tai. I don't understand you two, why can't you forgive Matt." Hikari exasperated.  
  
"What Matt did is unforgivable!" Taichi yelled, his voice louder then he wanted or expected. "I'm sorry." He sighed. "I didn't mean to yell."  
  
Hikari understood her brother statement; it wasn't directed at the formal last night, but at their fallen out almost a year ago. "What did he do? What happened to the three of you?" Hikari asked; her voice had a hint of frustration in it.  
  
"Hikari with all due respect, it is none of your business." He replied with a hint of anger in his voice. Taichi quickly headed to his room slamming the door.  
  
"Why do I bother?" Hikari sighed raising her arms with frustration. She slowly headed towards her bedroom to get ready for school, but was interrupted by the doorbell. 'That can't be T.K. he knows not to come this early.' She thought to herself heading towards the door.  
  
"Davis." She gasped as the door swung open. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was wondering if I could walk you to school." Davis blushed.  
  
"Sure, but T.K. usually walks me to school." Hikari said still flabbergasted at the sight of the boy.  
  
"Oh." Daisuke sighed looking at his feet. "I just want to talk about our date tonight that's all." He sighed.  
  
"All right." Hikari smiled. "Com'on in. Make yourself at home, I'll be but a minute." She smiled disappearing into her room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"You're awfully quiet this morning." Nancy Takaishi peered over the article that she was editing. "Want to talk about it?"  
  
"Nah, not really." Her son sighed.  
  
She knew not to pester her son when he was in his mood. "How was the dance?" Nancy asked with some concern.  
  
"It was okay, why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know." She sighed. "You came home awfully early."  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It was rather boring."  
  
"Are you sure nothing's wrong?"  
  
"Yeah. Fine." Takeru gave a pretence smile. "I've better go and pick up Kari." He said leaving without letting his mother say another word.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Kari could you get the door?" Taichi yelled from within his room. The doorbell rang again. "Kari?" He asked popping his head from his room. "Hmm...must have just left with Davis." He sighed.  
  
He approached the door finishing his blue tie simultaneously. He hated wearing the tie and was relived that after this day he wouldn't have to wear one for the next two months. That thought put a smile on his face as he opened the door.  
  
"Hi Tai." Takeru greeted with a grin.  
  
"T.K." He gasped.  
  
"You sound surprised?" He responded sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, you're here." Taichi explained still in some bewilderment. "What are you doing here? Didn't Kari call you?"  
  
"What do you mean? I'm here to pick up Kari like I do everyday since the past two years." Takeru explained. "Why would Kari call me?" A sudden wave of fear drowned him. "Is she okay? She's not hurt is she?" He gasped. "I knew I shouldn't have let Davis walk her home last night."  
  
"Whoa...calm down." Taichi reassured. "What I'm saying is, Davis picked Kari up for school and they probably left a while ago. I thought Kari would have called you." Taichi explained.  
  
"Oh." A sudden wave of depression drowned out his anxiety. "No she didn't." He sighed. "Thanks for telling me. Have a good day at school." Takeru said hiding the fact that he was crushed and heading towards the elevator.  
  
"Are you okay T.K.?" He asked watching Takeru head for the elevator. Despite his feelings for his older brother, he really did care for him. He always considered Takeru the younger brother he always wanted - the one that understood him.  
  
The elevator door opened and he walked in. Takeru turned around and looked at him. "Yeah." He lied as the doors closed.  
  
Taichi gazed at the closed elevator doors. He knew that Takeru was hurt, that he was lying, he could see it in his eyes and it was over his baby sister. "The sins of the older siblings." He sighed relating to his own personal experience with love triangles. "God help them all." He sighed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So what do you want to talk about?" Hikari asked. They have been walking together for a good fifteen minutes in silence.  
  
"It's about the date." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"What you change your mind?"  
  
"No." Daisuke quickly gasped. "Have you?" He asked, his voice above a whisper.  
  
"No." Hikari smiled. "What's wrong Davis?"  
  
"It's just that I didn't want you to go out with me, because I forced you to, or you did it because you felt sorry for me." Davis explained.  
  
"Davis, I really do want to go out with you." Hikari reassured. Daisuke looked at her with disbelief. "Honest." She smiled. "In fact that's what T.K. and I talked about last night, during the last dance."  
  
"Really?" Daisuke was surprise to hear that. "What did he say?"  
  
"Well I asked him if I was too hard on you for constantly refusing to go on a date with you and he said that I was." Hikari sighed. "Then I asked him what he thought if I went out with you." She sighed.  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said that I should go out with you if I wanted to. He told me not to if I felt pressured, or feel sorry for you." Hikari smirked at the next thought. "He even said that you deserve better then to have a pity date."  
  
"He said that?" He asked with disbelief. "Boy, maybe he does like someone else." Daisuke sighed.  
  
Hikari felt hurt by that statement, but it was the wrong time to act on it. So she suppressed them and filed it away for another day. "Yes, he did." Hikari smiled trying to get back into the conversation. "Davis, T.K. is not the villain you paint him to be."  
  
"Maybe you're right." He sighed.  
  
"Davis, I really do want you and T.K. to be friends."  
  
"We are friends."  
  
"No, you have a temporary unsaid alliance, if not for our experiences in the Digital World I believe you and T.K. would have been enemies." Hikari pointed out. "I really want the two of you to be friends...Please, for me?" She pleaded.  
  
"All right." Daisuke sighed. "I'll try."  
  
"Thanks." Hikari smiled gleefully. "So where are we going on this date?"  
  
"It's a surprise." Daisuke taunted.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"I'm not telling." Daisuke stood his ground.  
  
"Oh, you're no fun." Hikari sighed.  
  
"All right." Daisuke sighed. "It's dinner, but I won't tell you where, but I could tell you that I'll pick you up at six and oh, please dress formally." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Davis." Hikari said sternly. "I thought that you're not going to make a big production of this date."  
  
"I'm not." Daisuke quickly protested. "It's just that I have this reservation and it'll be a waste to let it go." He sighed.  
  
"All right." Hikari caved in. They turned and walked into the school, for the last time.  
  
Eyes were on them as they entered the classroom together. Whispers and giggle were heard as she took her seat. She looked around at her friends, her classmates wondering what was going on. Hikari took out her mirror to check if there was something on her face or between her teeth. 'No nothing there.' She thought feeling a tad paranoid. She turned to her right and wanted to ask Takeru something, but he wasn't there. 'Where is he?' She thought. 'It's not like him to be late.' She looked at the clock and saw that it was two minutes before class started.  
  
Takeru dashed in as the bell rang. "Right on time Mr. Takaishi." His teacher said closing the door.  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. Fujiyama, I just lost track of time." He panted out of breath. "It won't happen again." He promised.  
  
"I know." He smiled. "Especially since it's the last day of school." The class laughed in response. "All right class, that's enough." Fujiyama ordered. "Mr. Takaishi please take your seat."  
  
Takeru quickly dashed to his desk while Fujiyama started to teach. "Why were you so late?" Hikari whispered.  
  
"I went to your house to pick you up." He whispered back.  
  
"But I wasn't there."  
  
"Evidently." He pointed out.  
  
Then it hit her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to call you about Davis." She felt guilty for making Takeru going all the way to her house for no reason.  
  
"Mr. Takaishi! Miss. Kamiya! Is there something you like to share with the class?" Fujiyama asked.  
  
"No, sir." They answered in unison.  
  
"I realized that it's the last day of school, but it's still not your holidays yet. So please pay attention." Fujiyama reprimanded.  
  
"Yes, sir." They replied in unison.  
  
Takeru quickly opened his notebook and started scribbling some notes. He stole a look at Hikari and saw her mouthed the words: I'm sorry. He smiled forgiving her; he could never stay mad at her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru meandered through the busy cafeteria looking for any of the Digidestined to sit with. The cafeteria was segregated as usual into the customary cliques, but instead of talking, the whole room suddenly got quiet as he entered the room. All eyes were on him and whispers were heard in the various corners of the room.  
  
He felt very uncomfortable being watched by everyone in the room. It was like he was under a very powerful and very discomforting microscope. Takeru slowly walked towards the table where Hikari, Iori and Ken where sitting.  
  
"Hey T.K." Chastity Shiozaki smiled.  
  
"Hey Chastity." T.K. replied with a hint of suspicion. The whole school was still looking at him.  
  
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." She smiled apologetically.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"You don't know do you?"  
  
"No." He paused. "What should I know?" He asked feeling a little paranoid.  
  
"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said anything." Chastity said quickly and left.  
  
"Okay." Takeru sighed approaching the table a little gazed. He took his seat, opposite to Hikari and exchanged salutations with his friends.  
  
"What's wrong T.K.?" Hikari asked.  
  
"That's the fifth person today apologizing to me for no reason and before that one of my basketball friends from the team told me to cheer up also for no reason. I don't know what's going on with this school." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Tell me about it." Hikari sighed. "Every time I walk into a room, the class goes silent and on occasion while walking down the hall there will be people congratulating me for something, while others, mostly girls are very angry at me for no reason. I don't know what's going on." Hikari sighed.  
  
Iori and Ken looked at each other, trying to figure out what to say. Hikari and Takeru noticed the action and knew they knew something. "What's going on guys?" They demanded in unison.  
  
They sighed in unison. "Should I?" Ken asked.  
  
"Please." Iori sighed.  
  
Ken took a deep sigh. "You see there's a rumour going around that..."  
  
"Hey guys!" Daisuke interrupted Ken's explanation. "Isn't it a great and wonderful morning?" Daisuke greeted with a grin. Everyone watched him strangely; he was glowing and beaming.  
  
"Davis, are you feeling okay?" Takeru asked with some concern.  
  
"Yeah, T.K." Daisuke beamed. "I feel wonderful." The sounds of three forks hitting the metallic table startled Daisuke from his elated mood. Daisuke looked at Iori, Ken, and Takeru noticing that their jaws were about to hit the table. "Is there something wrong with you guys?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah...You called me...T.K." He said with shock.  
  
"That is your name isn't it?" Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Yeah, it is, but in the last two years, you haven't got my name right once." Takeru said still in shock.  
  
"Lucky guess?" Daisuke smiled, trying to make a joke.  
  
"There are only six hundred seventy-six different permutations, he's bound to get it right sooner or later." Ken pointed out, trying to suppress the obvious, at least to him, Iori and the rest of the school.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed, still feeling suspicious. He knew that something odd was happening to Daisuke, with the school, but he couldn't figure it out.  
  
"I heard that the Teenage Wolves are playing tonight." Iori pointed out.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled feeling glad that the conversation has taken a different turn. "It's an end of school bash." He informed. "Matt has invited all of us to hear his band play at the Warehouse District, Aqua City at four." Takeru invited. "Are you interested?" Iori Hida and Ken Ichijouji agreed quickly. "Kari, Davis, what about you?" He asked.  
  
"Hmm...I don't know." Hikari sighed looking at Daisuke for help. "What do you think Davis?" She asked sheepishly.  
  
Takeru thought that was a strange act. 'Sine when did Kari need Davis' permission to go somewhere?' He thought, having a bad feeling overshadowing him. 'What's going on?'  
  
"Well we can meet at the Warehouse say at five, listen to a couple of songs then go to dinner, the restaurant is near there." Daisuke smiled. Again the sound of three forks hitting the metallic table interrupted their private discussion.  
  
"Sounds good." Hikari smiled. She returned her gaze to Takeru who was still shocked by the fact that Hikari and Daisuke were going out on a date. "We'll be going." She smiled.  
  
"Great." Takeru literally felt his heart broke. Like his heart was made of glass and dropped from the top of Tokyo Tower, shattering into a million small pieces upon impact.  
  
He felt broken-hearted and shattered, he wanted to cry, but remembered his environment and kept his tears in. Suddenly the words of his friends at school ran through his head, Chastity Shiozaki's impromptu apology and his friends' attempts to cheer him up. 'They know, the whole school knows.' He looked at Ken and Iori and it confirmed his suspicions.  
  
Then an epiphany hit him. 'If the school knew that I was going to feel this way...then the whole school know my feelings for Kari.' He suppressed his gasp. 'Was I that obvious?' He asked himself. He looked up and saw Hikari laughing at Daisuke's joke. 'Not obvious enough unfortunately.' He sighed, picking up his fork again.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The last bell rang signifying the end of the school year. A clamour in the halls echoed through the halls like a wildfire. It was a sea of jubilation with one solitary, lonesome, secluded island. Takeru was set apart from the commonality, the masses and going against the conformity.  
  
"Hey T.K." Hikari greeted with a big smile.  
  
"Hey Kari." Takeru smiled back.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, fine." Takeru sighed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"You were awfully quiet at lunch today."  
  
"Oh that." He sighed. "I was just shocked that you and Davis were going out that's all." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Yeah I guess it was a big surprise." Hikari let a chuckle out. "Are you okay with it?" She asked. "Do you think this is a good idea?"  
  
'Why does she have to ask me that?' Takeru pouted, his all ready broken heart shattered further, if that was possible. "I'm fine with it." Takeru lied putting on a pretence smile. "Besides you don't need my permission to go out with Davis." He pointed out, his voice above a whisper.  
  
"Yeah I guess, I'm getting cold feet." She smiled. "I've better get going if I'm going to hear Matt sing tonight. Are you going to walk me home?" Hikari asked.  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "I promised Matt that I'd help him set up for tonight." He lied. The last thing he needed was to talk with his best friend, whom he liked, about a date with another man, especially a man who had a crush on her for over two years.  
  
"All right, see you tonight." She smiled leaving.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hikari sat in the middle of her walk-in closet and wondered what she should wear. She didn't know why she was so indecisive. 'It's just a simple date.' She thought to herself. "Then why don't I believe that?" She sighed. Hikari picked out a blue dress and placed in front of her and sighed with indecision. 'I don't know.' She sighed, picking out a red dress.  
  
"Anybody home?" Taichi announced entering the house.  
  
"Yeah Tai, I'm here in my room." Hikari announced walking out of her closet. She waited patiently walking to the mirror placing the blue dress in front of her, then the red, as her brother walked into her room. "What do you prefer the blue or the red?" She asked.  
  
"Umm...the blue." He sighed with a hint of confusion.  
  
"You're right." Hikari smiled. "I'll wear the red."  
  
"Where are you going?" He asked.  
  
"To hear Matt sing." Hikari replied. "Are you going to come? He's playing at the Warehouse District, Aqua City. I think he'll like to see you there." She sighed knowing the futility of her request.  
  
"It'll be a cold day in Hell before I hear him sing another note." Taichi protested rushing out her room.  
  
"Tai I don't understand why you haven't forgiven Matt yet!" Hikari yelled slipping on the red dress. "You two are acting like kids!"  
  
"We are kids!" Taichi protested. "That's the joy of being fifteen you can go both ways!" He objected.  
  
"Why do I bother?" Hikari sighed walking into the living room. "Tai do you mind...my zipper?" She said lifting her brown hair, her back towards her brother.  
  
"Sure." Taichi exasperated. "Aren't you a little overdressed for Matt's Concert?" He asked with brotherly concern walking towards his sister doing up her zipper.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "I have a date afterwards." She replied nonchalantly.  
  
"With who? T.K.?"  
  
"No, Davis." She replied.  
  
Taichi remembered how crushed Takeru looked that morning when he told him that Daisuke has already picked Hikari up, he couldn't help but to feel sorry for him. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "So how do I look?"  
  
"You don't really want my answer do you?" He taunted.   
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Daisuke threw several dress shirts on his bed looking for one that he hasn't grown out of yet and is relatively clean and unwrinkled. "There you are." He gasped in victory. He ceremoniously draped the shirt around his shoulders and quickly buttoned it up.  
  
He was wearing his navy blue dress paint with matching blazer. "Where did I put my tie?" He asked himself going back into his closet. T-shirts, shorts, and unmentionables were thrown aimlessly into the air landing on various spots on in the room.  
  
"Now that's more like it." Jun Motomiya taunted looking around the room.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?!?" Daisuke asked defensively, popping his head out of his closet.  
  
"Your room...it was spotless this morning. Mom almost had a cardiac when she saw it." Jun pointed out.  
  
"You act like it's the first time I clean my room."  
  
"Well...it is."  
  
Daisuke shot an angry look at his sister. 'I have no time for this. I need to get ready for my date.' He thought to himself. "Do you know where I put my ties?" He asked.  
  
"Ties?" Jun suppressed a chuckle. "You don't have any, you usually borrow dad's." She smiled.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that before!" He stormed out of his room.  
  
"I was right." She sighed. "He is sick...love sick."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Mr. Ishida, your son is here to see you." His secretary's voice came via the intercom disrupting his work.  
  
"Tell him I broke." He sarcastically barked back.  
  
"It's your other son, sir." She justified.  
  
"T.K.?" He gasped. "Send him in." He quickly cleaned up his desk and fixed his hair and tie while Takeru, his son walked in. He found it odd that he needed to look good in front of his youngest son; perhaps he didn't want to break the illusion of how he looked when they were younger, when they were still together.  
  
"Hi dad." He greeted with a smile.  
  
"Hey T.K." He smiled giving his youngest son a hug. "So how is the last day of school?" He asked sitting down behind his desk.  
  
"Great." Takeru sighed unenthusiastically.  
  
"Please keep all the excitement down." His father teased. "So are you excited graduating tomorrow?"  
  
"Yeah." His son replied in the same tone.  
  
He looked at his son and took a deep sigh. He knew something was troubling his son, something that he couldn't go to his mother with. "So son what are you doing here instead of playing with your friends?"  
  
"I was on my way to help Matt with his concert next door, so I thought: why not drop by and see how dad is doing?" Takeru said putting on a pretence smile.  
  
"I see." His father sighed not entirely believing in his son.  
  
"You don't sound convinced." Takeru sighed. "Can't I visit my dad without an ulterior motive?" Takeru asked unconvincingly.  
  
"Of course." His father smiled. "But I have a feeling that you wanted to talk to me about something." He sighed.  
  
Takeru looked at his father and pondered how he should proceed. It has been a long time since he talked to his father and there were so many things he wanted to talk to him about. "Yeah you're right." Takeru sighed. "How do you know when a girl likes you back?" He said very quickly.  
  
Ishida suppressed a smile so he wouldn't embarrass his son. He took a deep sigh and pondered how he would proceed. "Well son, it's different with everyone." His father pointed out.  
  
"Well how did you know when mommy liked you?" Takeru asked timidly.  
  
He saw his father take a deep breath before answering. "Well son, she did little things like calling me just to say hi; making me lunch; baking me sweets; finding any excuse to talk to me...why do you ask? Is there a girl you think might like you back?" His father teased.  
  
"No not really." Takeru sighed. 'Kari doesn't do any of those things.' He thought. "I was just curious that's all." He lied.  
  
"T.K. I wouldn't worry too much." His father smiled. "The 'Ishida Charm' would kick in sometime soon."  
  
"The Ishida Charm?"  
  
"Matt never told you?"  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "What is it?" His father peaked his preadolescent interest.  
  
"It seems that every generation of Ishida men in our family at one time in their lives would drive women crazy over them and for the rest of their lives women will be hitting on you." His father pointed out.  
  
"Really?" Takeru asked unconvincingly.  
  
"Yeah, look at your brother he's swarmed with more women than he could handle, and when your grandfather and I were about Matt's age...well let's just say, we've known to drive scores of women insane." His father replied with a smile. "Trust me T.K. all Ishida men find true love."  
  
"But we can't keep it." Takeru mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Nothing dad." Takeru sighed. "It's just that one man's charm is another man's curse." Takeru sighed. His father seemed oblivious to what he was thinking. "Dad haven't you noticed that we Ishida men find true love, but can't keep it? Grandpa divorced and moved to France, you and mom divorced, Matt had true love in his grasp and lost it..."  
  
"By the way, did Matt ever tell you what happened with him, Tai and Sora?" His father asked.  
  
"No. You?"  
  
"Same here." His father sighed. "Well that's maybe true, but technically you're a Takaishi and may escape that part of the curse." His father smiled.  
  
"No I didn't." Takeru quickly clasped his mouth with his hand. 'I've got to start thinking before I speak.' He thought to himself hoping that his father didn't hear what he just say.  
  
"What's this?" His father smiled. "My youngest son had his heart broken?" He started to tease.  
  
"Dad, I didn't come here to be teased." Takeru said adamantly.  
  
"You're right. I'm sorry." His father sighed. "How are you feeling?"  
  
Takeru thought allowing himself into his suppressed feelings. "Broken-hearted." He sighed above a whisper. "You know dad, I always thought a broken heart was a hyperbole." He sulked. "That is until it happened this afternoon. It felt like my heart was glass and broke into a million pieces." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Was it Kari?"  
  
"No! Why does everyone think its Kari?" Takeru asked defensively. He didn't know why he lied to his father, didn't know why he felt so frustrated when everyone assumed that it was Kari, but for some strange reason he hated the fact that he was so obvious.  
  
"I'm sorry, who was it?"  
  
Takeru stalled and stuttered. "It doesn't matters now." He sighed. "She's going out with another guy." He sighed.  
  
"Takeru." He said putting his hand on his son's shoulders. "You're at the beginning of a wonderful and scary adventure and your heart will break and make a hundred times before you find your true love. Sometimes your heart will be broken and at others you'll be the one breaking the hearts, but never give up the hope." His father smiled.  
  
"Yeah I guess you're right." Takeru sighed.  
  
"So tell me how long has this girl be going out with this boy?" His father asked curiously.  
  
"Tonight will be their first date."  
  
He looked at his son and suppressed a chuckle. 'No, that's not fair.' He thought. 'He hasn't had the years and wisdom to know.' He thought sitting on his desk. "Takeru, don't lose hope." He gave his son a reassuring smile. "Remember it only takes a small degree of hope to cause the birth of love." His father smiled.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Yeah, that's what Kari told me." He sighed. "Have you been talking to her?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"No." He smiled. "T.K. it's only one date, it's probably frivolous."  
  
"How many dates did it take you to know that mom was the person you were to marry?" He asked.  
  
"Well T.K. that's different." His father protested.  
  
"Dad?" He sternly stressed.  
  
"One." His dad sighed. "It took only one date."  
  
"Why doesn't that make me feel better?" Takeru sighed. "I better get going, don't want to miss Matt's concert." Takeru said getting up.  
  
"I hope everything works out for you."  
  
"Thanks dad." Takeru smiled hugging his father.  
  
"Drop by anytime." His father smiled still holding him. "I don't see you too often." He said breaking their embrace.  
  
"Sure dad." Takeru smiled. "I'll come especially when I need money." He smiled leaving. His father blushed slightly; he didn't think his son would hear his private conversation with his secretary when she announced his son's arrival.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru was in no mood to hear his brother sing, but he didn't want to go home to an empty home either. He sat silently and alone back stage nursing a transparent blue drink, which he looked through. He didn't know what it was, or if it tasted good, or alcoholic, frankly he didn't care. The world shown through the drink matched his mood. Everything was blurry, exaggerated and very blue.  
  
His head lay on the table and he allowed himself to make a slight sigh. His brother's music was just ambient noise to him and so were the screams of hundreds of women chanting his brother's name. All he knew is that he was on the verge of losing the only person he really cared about, that is, outside his immediate family and his digimon. "Kari." He sighed under his breath.  
  
He was so captivated in the private little world of his that he didn't hear the announcement of the band taking a short break. He also didn't notice that his brother walked up towards him.  
  
"Hey T.K." Yamato greeted with a hint of exhaustion in his voice. "How are you?" He asked taking off his guitar.  
  
"Fine." He mumbled unconvincingly.  
  
His brotherly concern took over him. "How's school?" He probed going through the mental list in his head.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Now Yamato questioned if his baby brother even heard his questions. "How do you think my band's been playing tonight?" He asked.  
  
"Fine."  
  
Now he knew that his brother wasn't listening to him. He knew he played better than fine, not out of vanity, but because he knew that Takeru was his biggest fan. Takeru was there when he first picked up the guitar and was the only person that didn't laugh when he had the dream of becoming a rock star; in fact he cheered him on. Yamato knew that his baby brother would never answer that question with that word. "What would you think if I say...oh take a leap off the Tokyo Tower?" He casually asked.  
  
"Fine."  
  
"That does it." He sighed with indignation and walked towards the table and picked up the glass of transparent blue liquid.  
  
"Hey I was drinking that!" Takeru protested coming out of his trance.  
  
"Yeah then what is it?"  
  
"It's...it's I don't know, blue?" He sighed with frustration.  
  
"Obviously." Yamato sighed taking the seat opposite his brother. "Would you like to tell me what's wrong?" His brother remained silent.  
  
Takeru sighed and looked into his brother's blue eyes. 'Will he tease me like everyone in my life?' He took a deep breath and decided to tell his brother. "There's this girl..."  
  
"Kari." Yamato said with a smile.  
  
"It's not Kari!" He protested. Yamato was still unconvinced and Takeru knew that he knew that fact, but he still played the charade. "It's a girl, that you don't know, that I really, really, like..."  
  
"Kari."  
  
"It's not Kari!" Takeru said with frustration. "Would you stop saying that?"  
  
"I will. When you start telling the truth."  
  
"It is not Kari." He said pronouncing each word profoundly.  
  
"Then who is it? Quickly now." Yamato probed crossing his arms with a condescending smirk on his face.  
  
"It's...it's..."  
  
"Ah...you stuttered because it's Kari."  
  
"IT'S NOT KARI!!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
"What's not Kari?" The certain brunette in question popped her head in.  
  
Takeru's heart skipped a beat. 'How much of the conversation did she hear?' He could feel all the blood retreating from his face. The sight of her mortified him.  
  
"Oh, T.K. was telling me who's this certain girl he likes." Yamato explained.  
  
"Really?" Hikari smiled. "I'm glad that I didn't miss the juicy stuff."  
  
"You mean you knew about this?" Yamato asked. This was the first time he believed his baby brother.  
  
"Yeah, T.K. and I are best friends, he tells me everything." Hikari smiled. "But every time he was about to tell me this mysterious woman something interrupts him." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Really?" Yamato raised an eyebrow with interest. "Please enlighten us T.K. who is this girl?"  
  
"Yeah T.K. who is she?"  
  
Takeru started to stuttered nervously, he couldn't tell the truth now, and especially not in the presence of Hikari and after he protested adamantly before his brother that it wasn't her. "It's Chastity Shiozaki!" He yelled the first name that came through his head.  
  
"Really?" Hikari gasped. Her heart stopped when she heard her name, she was devastated yet was able to suppress that feeling.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "I hope you two are happy now." He exasperated sitting back on his chair. 'Why on Earth did I say Chastity?' He thought taking a sip of his blue drink. 'Yuck...this thing taste horrible.'  
  
"Kari you in here?" Daisuke hesitantly asked popping his head into the room. "Wow Kari, you look beautiful." He complemented seeing her in the red dress.  
  
Hikari blushed and returned the complement. "You look handsome yourself." The navy blue blazer and paints was a change from Daisuke's normal decorum. She smiled and waltzed towards him fixing his tie.  
  
In response he blushed. "Here I got this for you." He smiled presenting her a long stem red rose.  
  
"Thanks, you shouldn't have." Hikari smiled accepting the rose. "Only one rose this time?" She teased.  
  
"Do you know how expensive a dozen roses are?" He blurted. "I mean I did promise you that I'll tone down didn't I?" He covered hoping that Hikari didn't hear his first response.  
  
Hikari suppressed a chuckle remembering the conversation she had with her brother last night about the monitory value of a dozen long stem red roses. "Thanks for remembering your promise." Hikari smiled twirling the red rose in her nose.  
  
"Are...are you two dating?" Yamato asked flabbergasted.  
  
"Yes." Daisuke blurted.  
  
"No." Hikari corrected quickly. "This is our first date and I like to ask a favour from you Matt." She smiled.  
  
"Sure what is it?"  
  
"Play my favourite song?"  
  
"All right what is it?"  
  
"It's the song you wrote for Sora."  
  
"Anything but that." He sighed. "I don't play that song anymore." Yamato protested adamantly.  
  
"Please?" Hikari pleaded fluttering her eyes innocently.  
  
"Don't look at me like that." Yamato warned. He couldn't stand her innocence, her guilelessness. "Okay, just this once."  
  
"Thanks Matt." Hikari hugged him. "Coming T.K.?" She asked.  
  
'T.K.!' Yamato gasped. He had totally forgotten that his baby brother was in the room witnessing the whole-blessed event. He darted his cerulean blue eyes at his brother and saw that he was holding his tears. 'So it is Kari.' He thought feeling sorry for his brother.  
  
"Why don't you two go on ahead? I'll catch up later." Takeru replied his voice on the verge of cracking.  
  
"All right." Hikari smiled. "I'll call you tonight and tell you all about it." She whispered to him. Takeru put on a convincing smile in response.  
  
"Com'on are you ready to dance?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Takeru watched at they walked out of the room. He sighed banging his head gently on the surface of the table. Yamato couldn't help, but to suppress a smile. "It is so Kari." He teased.  
  
"Shut up Matt." Takeru said, his eyes were puffy red and filled with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"Just leave me alone." He said storming out of the room.  
  
"T.K. I'm sorry!" Yamato bellowed seeing Takeru running away. He thought that his baby brother had a simple crush, but now he knew that it was something more. He wanted to chase after his brother but was interrupted by his stage manager telling him it was time to go on. "I'm sorry." He sighed under his breath walking towards the stage.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru splashed cold water on his face looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. He felt heartbroken about what he witnessed at what maybe the beginning of a romance, but he felt worse for telling his brother to shut up earlier.  
  
He slowly wiped all evidence that he was crying and regained his composure. 'I got to be happy for Kari if Davis is the one.' He thought. 'I can't tell her my feelings now. I rather be Kari's friend than risk losing her.' He thought nobly. 'Now go out there and enjoy the band.'  
  
He quickly circumspect the warehouse trying to find any of the Digidestined old or new that he could hang out with. Anyone but Hikari or Davis because the last thing he wanted to see was them being together, his heart couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"Are you ready to rock!" Yamato yelled. In response the crowd gave a relatively weak cheer. "Oh you can do better than that. Are you ready to rock!" He asked once again. The crowd gave a louder roar. "Much better." Yamato smiled. "We're going to bring things down a bit, this song was requested and dedicated to a couple on their first date...you know who you are." He smirked looking at Hikari and Daisuke. Yamato turned to the band and nodded, as the band played the only slow, romantic ballad in their repertoire.  
  
The last thing Takeru wanted to see was them dancing, but it was unavoidable. They were the only people dressed in semi-formal wear and were the only couple slow dancing while everyone else were swaying their arms in the air. Takeru watched them remembering how they danced last night as king and queen. 'No it's not the same...it's more intimate.' Takeru thought leaving the warehouse with that image waltzing through his head.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Davis are you sure about this?" Hikari whispered.  
  
"Yeah. Don't worry. I have a reservation." He whispered back.  
  
"But it's Le Rendez-Vous." She whispered. "It's the most expensive French restaurant in Tokyo." She pointed out.  
  
"Don't worry." Daisuke reassured. "I've been saving up for a long time."  
  
"May I help you?" A condescending French accent rudely interrupted their conversation.  
  
Daisuke turned and saw a very tall and intimidating maître d' standing by the podium. "Umm...we have a reservation." He said confidently.  
  
"You're name?"  
  
"Daisuke Motomiya." He confidently said.  
  
"Monsieur Motomiya?" The maître d' gasped. "You're THE Monsieur Daisuke Motomiya, party of two?" He clarified.  
  
"Yeah. Is there something wrong?" Daisuke asked. "Did you lose our reservation?" He gasped with fear.  
  
"Well you see Monsieur has been making reservation for the last eight weeks and haven't been shown up, so we assumed that the reservation was a joke." The maître d' explained.  
  
"What are you saying?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"We didn't keep your reservation." He explained.  
  
"What?!?" Daisuke freaked. "But I called in last week!"  
  
"Davis, let's eat somewhere else." Hikari whispered.  
  
"No, we're eating here." Daisuke whispered back adamantly. "Look sir, I'm sorry for all the inconvenience, but this is our first date and after two years of chasing her she finally said yes to go out for me. Isn't she worth the inconvenience?" He sheepishly asked.  
  
"Davis." Hikari cried blushing.  
  
"Oui, Monsieur is quite correct. Mademoiselle is quite beautiful." The maître d' smiled. "And it is our fault for not keeping your reservation and after all the French is known for their sense of romance."  
  
"So you'll let us in?" Daisuke asked with excitement.  
  
"Oui, Monsieur." He smiled. "Walk this way." He replied walking towards an intimate table for two. "Mademoiselle." The maître d' said pulling out a chair for Hikari as she took the seat. "Please accept our apologize by having dinner at half price." He smiled.  
  
"We accept." Daisuke quickly forgave. "Now we can eat twice as much." He winked at Hikari.  
  
"Très Bien Monsieur." The maître d' replied. "Your waiter would be here momentarily." He said leaving.  
  
Hikari smiled to her date and quickly surveyed the restaurant. Le Rendez-Vous took her breath away. The French restaurant was beautifully decorated in velvet; satin and passable imitations of famous paintings, with candle lit tables and violin music being played in the background. The ambience of the restaurant was unequivocally and unconditionally that of romance.  
  
Daisuke watched her being impressed by the venue he had chosen for his date tonight. 'She looks so beautiful in the candlelight.' He thought.  
  
Hikari finished her inspection of the restaurant and looked at her date. Their brown eyes met, she gave a slight smile. "Is there something on my face?" She asked.  
  
"No. You're perfect." He smiled. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"You're just looking at me funny."  
  
"It's just that you look so beautiful that I can't help but look at you this way." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Well stop it." She smiled. "You're giving me the willies."  
  
"Sure...when all life on this planet cease to exists." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Oh Davis." Hikari replied blushing.  
  
"Beinvenue à Le Rendez-Vous." The waiter interrupted. "I'm Henri and I'll be your waiter tonight." He smiled handing out the menus. "Shall I suggest a wine from the wine list?"  
  
"Umm..." Hikari sighed looking at Daisuke.  
  
"Do you have something non-alcoholic?" He sheepishly asked.  
  
"Ah...of course." The waiter smiled. "We have a nice white grape juice, some sparkling champagne..."  
  
"We'll take the champagne." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Très Bien." Henri smiled leaving.  
  
"Davis." Hikari quietly protested. "Do you know how expensive champagne is?"  
  
"Don't worry Kari." Daisuke replied confidently. "I've been saving up for a long time." He smiled.  
  
"Really?" Hikari smiled. "Just how long have you been saving?"  
  
"Ever since I first saw you." He smiled.  
  
Hikari couldn't help but to feel flattered, albeit uncomfortable. She didn't like being on such a high pedestal. "Davis I appreciate all the attention, but I told you that I don't need it." She pointed out.  
  
"I know, I know, my promise." Daisuke sighed. "But I made this reservation a week before." He pointed out. "And I hate to waste a reservation like this." He smiled. "Com'on let's order." Daisuke smiled opening up his menu.  
  
"Yeah, it would be a waste." Hikari sighed opening her menu. She scanned the menu and bit her lower lip. "Umm...Davis, my menu doesn't have any prices." Hikari whispered.  
  
"I know." Daisuke blushed. "All the fancy restaurant does that." He hushed hiding behind the menu. Although he had been saving up his money for two years, he was still afraid that he couldn't afford anything even at half price. 'Things are not going right.' He thought.  
  
"Umm..." He heard another concern coming from Hikari.  
  
"What is it Kari?" He said sheepishly.  
  
"This whole menu is in French." Hikari whispered.  
  
"Really? I thought it was some sort of weird English." Daisuke sighed still hiding behind his menu.  
  
"I wish T.K. was here." Hikari sighed.  
  
Daisuke was heartbroken to hear that. 'Even on a date with me she thinks of T.K.' He thought sadly. "Why?" He asked sheepishly behind his menu. He didn't care to know the answer to the statement that she gave, but to the thought he was thinking.  
  
"No big reason." Hikari sighed. "It's just that T.K. could read French."  
  
"Really?" He sound unimpressed.  
  
"Yeah ever since he visited his grandfather in France two years ago he's been picking it up on his spare time." Hikari sighed. "I'm just scared about ordering brains or something disgusting like that." Hikari smiled.  
  
"The French eat brains?" Daisuke gasped.  
  
"Yeah T.K. told me all kind of disgusting things they eat in France." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Could we stop talking about T.K.?" Daisuke said with a hint of anger in his voice. "You're on a date with me." He pointed out with more than a hint of jealousy.  
  
Hikari put her menu down and looked straight into his eyes. "For the last time Davis, T.K. and I are just friends." Hikari said pronouncing each word. "There's nothing to be jealous of." She pointed out.  
  
"I am not jealous!" Daisuke yelled. Suddenly the ambient conversation in the restaurant stopped as he felt all eyes pointed towards them. "Okay, maybe I'm a little resentful, but it seems that every conversation we have T.K. gets mentioned." Daisuke pointed out. "Are you sure you don't like T.K.?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"Davis." Hikari sighed reaching for his hand. "Even if I were, it doesn't matter T.K. likes Chastity Shiozaki." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"What if he didn't? What if he likes you?" Daisuke tested. "You can't tell me that you and T.K. are more then just friends." He pointed out.  
  
"Davis, I've known T.K. for almost ten years." Hikari pointed out. "We've been through a lot together. He was there during the Heighten View Terrorist Attack; he was there through my years of sickness when I was a child; he was there during the Odaiba Fog incident; he was there when we fought the Dark Masters five years ago; he saved my life when we battle Piedmon; he was there through our second adventure in the Digital World; he was there when my dad died...I know him, just as he knows me." Her voice cracked after the mention of her father's death. "We know each other so well that when my dad died he was the only one, present company included that didn't ask: 'How are you?' but remained silent, because he knew the way I felt couldn't be defined by simple words." Hikari pointed out. "So to answer your question Davis, yes, T.K. and I are more than friends, perhaps more than family, but we are not lovers." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Then when will you consider me like that?" Daisuke pointed out. "It's like I'm competing against a ghost that's always there." He sighed.  
  
"Look Davis, if you want our relationship to be more than what it is now, then you have to accept that T.K. and I are just friends." Hikari pointed out. "And I would like my best friend and any potential lover to be friends."  
  
"I got his name right at lunch didn't I?" Daisuke sighed looking at Hikari who didn't seem impressed. "What? I'm trying aren't I?" He asked.  
  
"I guess." She was unable to suppress smiled and started giggling. "Did you see the look on his face when you did." She continued laughing.  
  
"Yeah. I thought he was going to faint." Daisuke joined her in her laughter. It felt good laughing with her, it seemed right. "Look I'm sorry." Daisuke smiled. "I was a little jealous."  
  
"A little?"  
  
"Okay a lot jealous." Daisuke sighed. "Could we put our first fight behind us?" He sheepishly asked staring into her brown eyes.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari smiled. "I guess I understand how you feel." She sighed. "T.K. is rather a big ghost to fight."  
  
"Well, he's not really a ghost if he's around." Daisuke pointed out. "But I'll put my jealousy in check I promise." He pointed out.  
  
"Scout's honour?" Hikari smiled.  
  
"Yeah." He smiled remembering the lie he was caught with the night before. "So am I forgiven?" He timidly asked.  
  
"Yeah." She smiled. "You forgive me?"  
  
"Always."  
  
Hikari reached for his hand and held it. "Why don't we start this date all over again?" She smiled.  
  
"I think that's a good idea." Daisuke smiled. "Have I mentioned how beautiful you looked tonight?" He asked.  
  
"Are you two ready to order?" Henri asked.  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke smiled. "Could you point to anything that you'll recommend that isn't brains or anything disgusting?" He asked showing the waiter the menu.  
  
"Absolument." He replied with smile.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru was in uncharted waters. When he was upset the first person he would call was Hikari, but since she was apart of the problem he couldn't go to her. His brother was busy with his concert and his father and mother were at work and the subject on his heart was too intimate for any of his friends.  
  
He wondered aimlessly through the streets of Odaiba and found himself on the basketball court in the park. 'I wish I have a basketball.' He thought.  
  
"Hey Takaishi! Catch!" A ball hurled towards him, he instinctively caught it.  
  
"Tai? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I came looking for you?" He smiled.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I thought we could play basketball?"  
  
"With a soccer ball?" Takeru asked passing the ball back to him.  
  
"Well I didn't have a basketball." Taichi shrugged.  
  
"Because you don't consider basketball a sport." He smirked.  
  
"Oh you two tell each other everything, don't you?" He smiled nervously.  
  
"Well not exactly everything." Takeru mumbled under his breath.  
  
"So do you know about Kari and Davis?"  
  
"Their date? Yeah." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Not really." He sighed. "Why do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Not really." Taichi answered. "I just thought it might bother you."  
  
"Well even if it did, Kari has the right to go out with anyone she wishes." Takeru sighed, leaning against the basketball pole.  
  
"You know you should tell Hikari how you feel." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Kari and I are just friends." Takeru protested. "Besides even if I do have feelings for Kari the last thing I want to do is tell her now." He pointed out.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because Kari and I are good friends and I like to keep it like that." He sighed. "The last thing I want to do is to jeopardized that friendship like you did with Sora and Matt. I rather be Kari's friend then her enemy."  
  
Taichi was hurt, not because of the attack Takeru just made to him, but because he served an example and a bad one at that. "T.K. just because it happened to us, doesn't mean it will happen to you." Taichi pointed out.  
  
"But it could." Takeru sighed. "Unless you can guarantee to me that it wouldn't." He waited for a full minute for Taichi to answer, but there was none. "I didn't think so." He sighed. "If you don't mind, I have to be going." He said leaving Taichi alone on the basketball court.  
  
"Oh T.K." He sighed watching him leave.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Dinner was lovely." Hikari smiled. "It's the best dinner I've ever had." She commented.  
  
"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Daisuke smiled. "Are you going to finish your dessert?" Daisuke asked hesitantly.  
  
"Help yourself." Hikari smiled. "I'm stuffed." She watched her date stuff his face with her dessert.  
  
"What?" Daisuke asked. "I'm paying for this aren't I?" Bits of the dessert emanated from his mouth.  
  
"No, it's not that." Hikari tried to suppress a chuckle. "I like watching you eat." She sighed.  
  
"Well if you like this, you should come over for dinner at my place, you'll be laughing hysterically." Daisuke teased.  
  
"Oh Davis." She smiled.  
  
"Will there be anything else?" Henri asked.  
  
Hikari looked at Daisuke eating the dessert. She suppressed a smile at the sight. "Just the bill." She answered for him. Hikari continue to watch Daisuke eat, just revelling in the moment. The bill came shortly after with a couple after dinner mints.  
  
Hikari reached over for the bill. "No you don't." Daisuke interrupted her. "I told you I'm paying for dinner."  
  
"I know, just curious about how much it cost that's all." Hikari smiled picking up one of the after dinner mints.  
  
Daisuke looked at the bill and gasped. 'This is half price! It's going to drain all my savings!' He suppressed his concern; he looked at Hikari and saw her counterfeit against the candlelight. 'It's all worth it for one date with Kari.' He sighed reaching for his inner breast pocket for his wallet. 'That's funny.' Daisuke thought. 'It's surprisingly thin.' He gasped in fear. 'My wallet is gone.' He felt that his pocket had a hole in it. Daisuke quickly looked under the table, but his wallet wasn't there.  
  
"Is everything okay?" Hikari asked with concern in her voice.  
  
Daisuke popped from underneath the table. "Yeah." He quickly smiled covering the fact that he had lost his wallet. "I'll be right back." He smiled taking the bill with him.  
  
He quickly and quietly mingled towards the front of the restaurant. He cleared his throat to signal for the maître d'. He turned around and saw Daisuke hiding behind the potted plant. "Monsieur Motomiya." He smiled. "How is your evening?" He asked.  
  
"Great."  
  
"And Mademoiselle?" He probed.  
  
"She's enjoying herself."  
  
"I am glad." The maître d' replied. "The French do love romance." He smiled.  
  
"But there is just one problem."  
  
"Oh? What is it?" The maître d' asked with concern.  
  
"The bill." Daisuke sheepishly smiled. "It seems that I had a hole in my pocket and well...lost my wallet." He said looking down at his shoes.  
  
"Really?" He replied unbelieving.  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke sighed. "And since the French do love romance I figure you can put our meal on the house?" He sheepishly asked. "Or I can come back tomorrow and give you the money?" He said looking at the maître d' who's hands were at his sides. 'Uh oh.' He thought.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru's wondering finally brought him home. His thoughts consumed his mind. 'I wonder what they're doing now?' He thought walking into the atrium of his apartment building complex. 'I wonder if she's enjoying herself.' He sighed unwilling to wait for the elevator and heading for the stairs. 'I wonder if she's fallen for him.' That thought pained him. "Oh god I hope that isn't so." He sighed under his breath. It was his first words spoken since he left Taichi at the basketball court hours ago.  
  
He tactlessly climbed the stairs slowly, with each step getting heavier and harder to make. He was a man suffering from unrequited love, a love that could never be. 'I can't tell her.' He sighed. 'I can't let what happened to Matt, Tai and Sora happen to Kari and me.' Takeru sighed.  
  
In his mind, he thought he was doing the honourable thing stepping aside to let Hikari determine where her heart should be. He figured that Hikari wasn't chattel or his property. 'Or am I just a coward?' Takeru allowed that thought to enter his mind. He stopped for a moment and mentally listed the pros and cons of telling her.  
  
There were too many variables and too many possible outcomes that he would have liked. 'I can't risk it.' He thought. Takeru would rather have Hikari as a friend than risk losing her by telling her how he felt. He liked the relationship he had with her right now, but was unwilling to gamble with it for something more.  
  
So he had no choice. Takeru didn't want her to go through the pain of choosing whom she want to be with. 'Or am I being selfish?' He sighed. Takeru was full with anguish over the reason behind not telling her. On the one hand he could be protecting her, on the other he could be selfish. 'Oh the agony.' He thought taking out his keys to open the door.  
  
"Hey T.K." His mother greeted her eyes still fixated on her computer.  
  
"Hey mom." He replied apathetically. "Still writing?" He draped his arms around his mother's neck, resting his head on her shoulder.  
  
"Yeah." She sighed.  
  
"The toilet paper story?" Takeru asked reading a couple of sentences on the screen. "I thought you were done with this."  
  
"So did I." She sighed. "I didn't like the first draft."  
  
"Keep at it mom." He encouraged. "I know you'll get it right."  
  
"Thanks." She smiled. "You got several calls while you were out."  
  
"Really?" He sounded surprised. 'Of course Kari said she would call me when the date was over.' He suddenly remembered. The idea of having Hikari telling him all about her date was something he didn't want to do, but he figured it fell under the job description of a best friend.  
  
"Yeah." His mother smiled. "Your father called he wanted to know if you're feeling better. Then Matt called apologizing over a fight you two had at the concert. Then your friend Tai called for the same reason your father called." She turned around breaking the embrace. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked with motherly concern.  
  
Takeru sighed; he was a little hurt that Hikari hasn't called him yet. 'Maybe she still out with Davis.' He thought pained him. His mother reiterated the question, which got him out of his thoughts. "Maybe a little later mom, I'm all talked out tonight." He replied trying to hold his tears back.  
  
"Dad said it was over a girl. Is it Kari? Is that why her brother called?" He couldn't hold the tears back anymore. His eyes started streaming with tears and he started weeping. "There, there." His mother sighed holding her son closer to her. "It's okay, let it all out." She whispered into his ears. He felt safe in the arms of his mother.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm sorry." Daisuke whispered scrapping French food off the plate.  
  
"Davis that the fourth time you apologized." Hikari sighed washing the dish Daisuke handed to her. "It's okay, it's not your fault that you lost your wallet." She pointed out.  
  
"I should have checked before we entered the restaurant." He sulked. "Now we're here washing dishes to pay for our meal. I wanted this night to be perfect." He sighed.  
  
"It is." Hikari smiled.  
  
"You're just saying that." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"Look Davis." She smiled putting her arms around his neck holding him. "The point of a date is to spend time with another person and to have some fun."  
  
"Are you?" Daisuke asked pulling her closer to him, his arms around her waist.  
  
"I am." She smiled. "I don't care what I'm doing as long as I'm with you." She smiled looking into his eyes and still saw uncertainty in them. "Davis, you're rather a romantic, sweet guy."  
  
"I am?" He sounded surprised. "I mean, I am." He said, this time with more confidence.  
  
"Yeah you are." Hikari smiled. "You saved your money for the better part of two years so you could have one ostentatious date with me. You called Le Rendez-Vous for the last two months for reservations in the hopes that one-day I might say yes to one of your invitations. You bought me roses, a baker's dozen worth. You took me out dancing." She smiled. "I felt like a princess this whole night."  
  
"So I'm sweet and romantic."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"More than T.K.?"  
  
"Oh, you're incorrigible." She smiled looking into his brown eyes that were awaiting her answer. "Yeah more than T.K." She sighed.  
  
Daisuke was excited about his small victory over the infamous Takeru that he pulled Hikari closer in. He closed his eyes and leaned in to kiss her.  
  
"Hey you two, you're not here to make-out but to clean dishes." The busboy interrupted them by placing a stack of dirty plates down. "Get to it!" He ordered. "We all have to sing for our dinners." He grunted leaving to collect more plates.  
  
"Well he's right." Hikari smiled breaking the embrace. "We better get back to work." She sighed washing another dish.  
  
Daisuke swore to himself. 'I was this close from kissing her.' He thought.  
  
"Com'on Davis, I'm not doing all this work on my own."  
  
"All right." Daisuke sighed returning to his work. He looked at the stack of dirty dishes and sighed. 'This is going to take forever.' He thought. "Kari did you mean what you said that you didn't care what you're doing as long as you're were spending time with me?" He asked enigmatically.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari smiled. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"You should come over to my house on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at seven." Daisuke invited with the smirk still on his face.  
  
"To have dinner with your family?"  
  
"No, to wash dishes, those are my nights to do them." He smiled.  
  
"Oh." Hikari chuckled playfully picking up some food on the dish she was scraping off and threw it at Daisuke. She didn't realize what she did until it was too late. "I'm so sorry." She couldn't contain her laughter.  
  
"Sure." Daisuke said unconvinced at her apology. He then picked up a good size morsel of uneaten food in his hand and had an evil grin on his face.  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"Try me." He smiled.  
  
"Don't you dare!" She smiled picking up another handful of food in her defence. It was too late because Daisuke had already thrown his food at her. In return, she threw what she had in her hand.  
  
"Food Fight!" They yelled in unison.  
  
The food fight lasted only for a couple of seconds before they ran out of ammunition. After which Daisuke started to chase her around the kitchen. "I'm going to get you." Daisuke taunted.  
  
"Catch me if you can." She taunted sticking out her tongue.  
  
They cased each other around the island in the middle of the kitchen once more when he caught her. Daisuke pulled her in so hard that their noise almost hit each other. Their eyes were locked, laughing, smiling, with French food all over their faces.  
  
Then an invisible force, an attraction pulled their faces closer to each other. Their eyes closed and their lips were about to approach their pinnacle. Nothing else was on their minds except the inevitable.  
  
"Hey! What is going on here?" The maître d' asked. "You're not here to make out with your girlfriend. Now clean up this mess and if a dish was broken because of your rowdiness you'll have to make up for it with more washing."  
  
"Yes sir." They said in unison.  
  
"Now get to it! Monsieur you clean up the floors! Mademoiselle get to the dishes! Vite, vite, vite!" He ordered clapping his hand three times.  
  
"Yes sir." They replied returning to their work.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It has been a long time since he cried and longer since he cried on his mother's shoulder. Then again, it was the first time his heart was broken; he was, like most of his night in uncharted waters.  
  
He never knew why he felt better after a good cry, but he did. Perhaps it was the discharge of strong emotions that drained him so much that he ended up with such a clear mind.  
  
His mind was so clear, too clear for his liking. He could hear every thought that ran through his mind. The debate whether he should tell Hikari his feeling still rang strong. Part of him wanted to tell her and the other part, the side he was leaning towards told him to keep his feelings to himself. Then came a second debate the reason behind why he shouldn't tell Hikari. Was it out of honour from a promise he made a long time ago, to protect her to make her happy, or was it because he was scared or selfish. It was driving him crazy.  
  
"Hey T.K. are you hungry you missed dinner?" His mother popped her head through his room.  
  
"Not really." He sighed, sitting up on his bed.  
  
"Well I made you a sandwich just in case." His mother smiled putting the plate on his nightstand. "How are you feeling?" She asked fixing her son's flaxen hair.  
  
"Better." He said putting on a brave smile. "You finish you're article?"  
  
"Yeah." She smiled. "You want to read it?"  
  
"Maybe later." Takeru sighed. "You should get some rest, you look tired."  
  
"I will." His mother smiled. "You better get some sleep too, you're graduating tomorrow and I don't want you falling asleep getting your diploma." She smiled.  
  
"All right." Takeru smiled. "I'll turn in soon."  
  
"Good night." She gave a kiss on his forehead.  
  
Takeru was not ready to go to sleep, especially when he was waiting for Hikari's call. He turned to his clock to check on the time. 'That's odd it's really late.' He sighed. 'Kari should be home now. It's unlike her to break her promise like that - it'll be the first one.' Takeru was worried.  
  
He hesitantly picked up the phone and pushed one on his speed-dial. The phone rang three times before someone picked up the phone. "Hello?" Taichi answered.  
  
"Hey Tai." He sheepishly answered. He hoped Hikari would have picked up because he wasn't in the mood to talk to him.  
  
"Hey T.K. I hope you're feeling better."  
  
"Yeah...I will be." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for calling earlier."  
  
"No problem. How can I help you?"  
  
"I know it's late, but Kari said that she'll call me after her date, I was wondering if she was home?" Takeru sighed.  
  
"No, she's still out on her date...wait a minute she just got in." Taichi informed. "Hey Kari! T.K. is on the phone for you..." Takeru heard through the receiver.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"I'm sorry about your dress." Daisuke apologized.  
  
"Would you stop apologizing?" Hikari smiled. "It's only a dress and the stains will come out." She pointed out. "Thanks for walking me home." She smiled.  
  
"No problem." He smiled. "I hope you had fun." Daisuke sighed. "It's just not the way I envisioned my first date with you."  
  
"Hey I have a fun time...dishes and all." Hikari smiled holding Daisuke around his waist.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Honestly Davis." She sighed. "I never knew you to be insecure about anything." She smiled. "Tell you what how about we go out tomorrow this time I'll plan the evening and dress casual."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari smiled reassuring.  
  
"Are you sure you're not doing this out of pity."  
  
"Daisuke Motomiya, after knowing me all these years and spending an evening with me, you should know that I don't do anything out of pity." She smiled. "I enjoy your company and want to go out with you again."  
  
"So does that means you'll be my girlfriend?"  
  
"No, it means I'll go out with you again." Hikari smiled.  
  
"Well that's good enough with me." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"Thanks for not rushing me." Hikari smiled running her hand through his hair. "I had a great time."  
  
"Me too." Daisuke smiled leaning in for a kiss. 'This time I won't let anything stop me.' He thought with determination.  
  
'Well here goes my first kiss.' Hikari thought. She slowly approached his mouth and slowly closed her eyes. Soon the vision of the blue eye, blond hair boy wearing a white hat slowly disappeared to be replaced by darkness. Hikari gasped pulling away from the kiss. The last thing she saw before kissing Daisuke was Takeru. "I'm sorry. I can't do this." She gasped breaking the embrace.  
  
"What do I have bad breath?" Daisuke asked checking out his breath.  
  
"No you're breath is fine." Hikari started to hyperventilate. She quickly searched her purse for her keys. "I...I...I just don't kiss on the first date." Hikari stuttered giving the first excuse that crossed her mind.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah...fine." Hikari answered nervously. "Thanks for walking me home." She said putting her key in the knob. "Good night." She smiled nervously crossing the threshold.  
  
"What about our date?" Daisuke interjected.  
  
"I'll tell you tomorrow at graduation." Hikari said slamming the door in his face. She started breathing heavily leaning against the door. 'Why would I think of T.K. when kissing Davis?' She thought still flabbergasted at what just happened.  
  
"No, she's still out on her date...wait a minute she just got in." Hikari heard her brother talking on the phone. "Hey Kari! T.K. is on the phone for you."  
  
"Who?" She freaked.  
  
"T.K. he's been worried about you."  
  
"Tell him I'm not here." She said still disturbed over the events that just happened.  
  
"But I just told him that you're home." Taichi protested.  
  
"Tell him I'm in the shower or something. I just don't want to talk to him right now." Hikari said storming into her room.  
  
"Umm...I was mistaken Kari is asleep." He lied quickly hanging up the phone.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru listened to the dial tone for a few seconds. "Sure." He sighed hanging up the phone. He had heard the whole conversation through the phone. 'That's odd.' He thought. 'Did I do something to hurt Kari?' He couldn't think of anything. 'It must be her date. Yeah her date probably went badly.' He sighed. Part of him was glad, but only a small part. The bigger and more important part felt worried. 'But even so she always comes to me with all her problems or at least talk to me about them.' He thought.  
  
"T.K. shut the light off and go to bed." His mother's voice emanated from the living room.  
  
"Yes mom." He replied back turning off the lamp. 'But how am I suppose sleep if something's wrong with Kari?' He sighed looking at the ceiling. 'I wonder what happened?'  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	4. Ironies and Double Dates.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for getting this posted up so late. School and work has been taking a lot of my time lately and unfortunately writing had to take a backseat. Furthermore, for some odd reason this chapter didn't want to written or posted. It took an insanely long time to write it and when the first draft was done I couldn't help, but to keep editing, and re-editing it.  
  
I still have my doubts and I'm not totally in love of how this chapter came out, but I thought it's been long enough so here it is. Moreover, my many friends at school have constantly told me that I'm my own worst critic so my views may be biased or tainted. I found that some of the Takeru scenes to be rather repetitive and jejune and Hikari's journal to be redundant and far to many clichés for my liking - so please indulge me while reading those parts.  
  
An extra note for my loyal Takari readers, please note that the story may be going in the direction of a Daikari, but it doesn't mean that it'll end as one, so please no flames. I'm still in debate on how this story will end and it could end either way. Enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"The longest journey a man must take  
is the eighteen inches from his head to his heart."  
  
- Unknown.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: IRONIES AND DOUBLE DATES.  
  
It was times like these that Hikari hated the fact that her mother was so health conscientious, because she needed the junk food and unfortunately there was none to be found. She couldn't sleep and needed to stay up for her graduation later on that day. There was no coffee in the house and even if there was she didn't care for the taste for it. Sugar was also banished from the house along with soda so she couldn't get a sugar rush, but more importantly she needed the sugar for therapeutic reasons.  
  
It was times like these when she missed her father the most, because he was the only one capable of hiding junk food in the house without her mother's ever-watching eyes from noticing. What she needed now is chocolate bar the sweeter the better something to sooth her agony.  
  
Her mind was clouded by the events of her date last night, especially about the goodnight kiss, or to be precise the attempted goodnight kiss. 'Why did I picture T.K. at the moment I tried to kiss Davis? What does it mean? Does this mean I like him?' She agonized over many questions similar to those all night. "No I can't like T.K., he like Chastity." Hikari exasperated. The last thing she wanted was to be in a love triangle. "Why does love have to be hard?" She whined sobbing into her arms.  
  
"Because if it was easy then love would be trivial." Taichi smiled joining his sister on the balcony connected to her room.  
  
"How much..." She gasped.  
  
"Did I hear?" Taichi smiled completing his sister's thoughts. "Just the rhetorical question." Taichi sighed. "Here I thought you might like this." He smiled sympathetically giving her a mug with brown liquid.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
"Hot Chocolate." Taichi replied nonchalantly. "I know you like white chocolate, but you know how I don't believe in the stuff." He sighed.  
  
"How did..."  
  
"...I get it?" He completed her question. "Before dad died he told me all his hiding places for all his junk food and the secret to how it should be hidden." Taichi smiled. "I thought you might need it considering you've been up all night."  
  
"How did..."  
  
"...I know you've been up all night?" Taichi smiled finishing his sister's question. "Your bed was unmade and my balcony is adjacent to yours. I saw you out here last night before I went to bed and you remain unchanged when I woke up a few minutes ago."  
  
"Oh." She suppressed a smile and blushed. "Thanks." She smiled slowly inhaling the sensual vapours of the forbidden drink. Then she slowly and ceremoniously took a sip of the hot soothing sweet chocolate making sure that this treat would last a long time. 'Nectar of the gods.' Hikari thought smiling as she reached the zenith of pleasure. "What no marshmallows?" She teased.  
  
"I'll remember next time." Taichi smiled looking at his sister with brotherly concern. He quite enjoyed watching his baby sister taking this form of remedy. 'I knew she needed that.' He smiled to himself. He took a sigh and another sip of his hot chocolate and quickly debated all the ways to continue this conversation. 'What would father do?' He wished he knew. "A penny?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"For your thoughts." He completed the phrase. "It's an American expression Mimi told me once." Taichi sighed. "It means I want to know what you're thinking and willing to pay for it." He smiled.  
  
"How much is an American penny?"  
  
"Oh I don't know about 1.3 yens." Taichi sighed.  
  
"That's how much my thoughts are worth to you?" She asked with indignation.  
  
"Well what do you expect? It's Saturday! The end of the week! My allowance is almost gone!" Taichi teased.  
  
"That's okay." Hikari chuckled to herself. "I don't think they're worth that much any ways." She sighed taking another sip of her hot chocolate. "Besides I'm willing to pay you more for this hot chocolate even without the marshmallows." She teased.  
  
"Consider it even if you tell me what's on your mind." Taichi offered. "And next time I'll remember marshmallows." He smiled.  
  
"Deal." Hikari smiled. "I just wish I knew where to begin." She sighed thinking. "What do you want to know?".  
  
Taichi sighed thinking. "Why didn't you want to talk to T.K. last night when he called? Did you two have a fight?"  
  
"No, we didn't fight." Hikari sighed. "But I feel just as bad like we did."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"Last night was the first time I broke a promise and lied to T.K." Hikari sighed. "I never done that before."  
  
"Is that why you were up all night?"  
  
"No." Hikari sighed. "Not entirely."  
  
Taichi knew that she was still hiding something so he continued to probe. "Pretty bad date huh?" He asked nonchalantly.  
  
"No." Hikari smiled. "I really had fun considering what happened."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well as you know we went to Matt's concert to listen to a couple of songs, then we went to Le Rendez-Vous."  
  
"Le Rendez-Vous? Very classy."  
  
"And expensive." Hikari smiled. "We had no idea what we were ordering because the entire menu was in French, we were scared half the time wondering if we were eating brains so we asked the waiter to recommend something." She chuckled looking at her brother who looked confused. "Inside joke." She smiled. "Then when the bill came Davis reached into his pocket and realized that he lost his wallet."  
  
"Oh no." Taichi sighed. "What happened?"  
  
"We spent the rest of the night washing dishes to pay for our meal." Hikari smiled reminiscing about all the fun she had.  
  
"I'm sorry that must have been horrible."  
  
"No, I had fun." Hikari smiled looking at her brother. "Really." She reassured her brother. "Honest."  
  
"Okay." Taichi sighed still with disbelief. "Then what could be possibly wrong that you have to spend all night thinking?" He probed. "Did Davis try to kiss you last night because if he did I'll kill him?" He vented with an overabundance of over-protectiveness that only an older brother could give.  
  
Hikari suppressed a smile. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She taunted.  
  
"Well are you going to tell me?"  
  
"That's for me to know and you to find out." She smiled.  
  
Taichi sighed reaching into his pockets. "All right here are some marshmallows for your hot chocolate. It was my trump card just in case you were being difficult." Taichi smiled dropping three marshmallows into her mug. "Now spill."  
  
"I knew you were hiding them." She smiled looking at her brother who was impatiently waiting for her answer. "No we didn't kiss." Hikari smiled. "Davis wanted to but I wasn't ready." She lied. Hikari had debated whether to tell her older brother about seeing Takeru before kissing Daisuke, but with his big mouth everyone in her world would know by the end of the day, she just didn't trust him with this juicy secret.  
  
"Good." Taichi sighed. "It's important that you feel ready before you kiss a boy, perhaps when you're...oh, I don't know forty or something." Taichi lectured to his baby sister. In response he saw Hikari chuckled to herself. "What's so funny?" He demanded.  
  
"For a second you sounded like dad." Hikari smiled.  
  
"You take that back!" Taichi demanded. In his heart of hearts he considered it a complement, but instinctively no fifteen-year-old boy would like to be like his father.  
  
"Call it a foreshadowing of the inevitable." Hikari smiled.  
  
"So if it wasn't the date or the kiss then what is it that's kept you up all night?" Taichi sighed.  
  
Hikari took another sip of her hot chocolate and sighed. "How do you know when you're in love?" She asked rhetorically.  
  
Taichi started to chock on his hot chocolate. "Whoa...what are you saying? Are you telling me you're in love with Davis? Kari it's been one date! You can't be in love at least not with him!" He said flabbergasted.  
  
"How many dates did it convince you that you were in love with Sora?"  
  
"That's different."  
  
"Uh huh." She sighed unconvincingly. Hikari smiled to herself, secretly she like seeing her brother jumping to conclusions. "And besides what if I am in love with Davis?" She smiled.  
  
"Well for starters he's like...well...he's like..."  
  
"You?" Hikari sheepishly added.  
  
"Well, yeah." Taichi gasped. "Could you imagine loving your brother?"  
  
"Well I do love you."  
  
"I mean romantically."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Could you imagine the disturbing images?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "I mean what was I thinking? I could do so much better than you." She teased.  
  
"Exactly." Taichi sighed. "Hey what is that suppose to mean?" He freaked out realizing what he just say. Hikari started chuckling at her brother's rashness. "You could do a lot worse than me!" He protested.  
  
"No, no, let's think about it." Hikari continued with her taunting. "You and Davis are obnoxious, rash and reckless what was I thinking being in love with Davis? I mean I didn't know how Sora loved you..." Hikari gasped realizing what she just say. "I'm sorry Tai, I didn't mean to...it just slipped out."  
  
"That's okay Kari." Taichi sighed dejected. "I know all too well about your acerbic tongue." He sighed.  
  
"Why can't you forgive Matt and Sora?" Hikari sighed. "It's has been a long time since your fallout with them. I really missed the fellowship we all once had." Hikari sighed reminiscing.  
  
"Me too." Taichi sighed. "It's just so hard and I'm scared that it will never be like it use to be. Look at me." He chuckled to himself. "The bearer of the crest of courage afraid to make amends." He sighed. "Isn't it ironic?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "Life can be like that sometime. Look the sun is rising." She said looking into the horizon. They watched the sun peeped over one of the tall buildings slowly changing the dark twilight sky into an amazing mosaic of red, orange and purples.  
  
"It's beautiful." Taichi sighed with awe. "It's been so long since I saw one."  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "Let's watch it in silence."  
  
"Good idea." Taichi sighed.  
  
They leaned on each other watching the amazing event and slowly drinking their hot chocolate. Brother and sister just wanting to forget their problems hoping that this new day would bring them some happiness. "Hey Tai, thanks." Hikari smiled.  
  
"No problem, what are big brothers for?"  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru stirred slightly, wrenching in his slumber. It took him an eternity to get to sleep and when he did he couldn't stay that way. All night he has been trying to rationalize why Hikari refused to talk to him to the point where his eyes grew heavy, tired, and encumbrance and swayed to the inevitable.  
  
Echoes, sounds, and phantoms from the past soon haunted his unconscious. Takeru felt himself dangling from a magical rope. He looked down, the balcony was a couple meters below him and to the right, and the ground seemed bottomless. Suddenly the sounds of a metal door being destroyed in a powerful blast roared through his mind.  
  
Hikari's screamed echoed through his mind like a banshee. She was terrified. "I must whip this. It costs me a fortune in new doors." The devilish laughter resonated through his essence.  
  
"Keep climbing, I'll distract him!" Patamon said digivolving into Angemon. The six-winged angel stood in brilliance of white light for a moment before attacking. A battle was inevitable the angel and the clown form hell fought it out. The eternal struggle of light and darkness commenced, but alas sometimes angles do fail.  
  
"Angemon, no!" He mumbled twisting and twirling in his bed.  
  
"I'm scared." Hikari cried.  
  
"It's okay." He reassured her and secretly feeling guilty for making her feel that way. He knew that he was scared too, but he reminded himself to put on a brave face to quash her fears. "Angemon will be fine, but you've got to keep on climbing. Don't let that joker Piedmon scare you." He smiled looking into her eyes.  
  
"Okay." She returned, he felt better that she was no longer afraid. Hikari continued to climb, but it was sliced by a sword inches above her hand. Takeru could hear her screams echoing through his mind.  
  
"You've reached the end of your rope!" Piedmon laughed sinisterly. His laugh sent shivers down his back. Takeru attempted to continue on when he felt Piedmon's hand grabbing his leg.  
  
"Sorry if I gave you a wedgie." He laughed at his bad joke.  
  
"Let go of him!" Hikari demanded reaching down grabbing onto his hand.  
  
He looked at her and the clown below him his sinister black eyes sent chills down his spine, he knew that down there was the ground even though he couldn't see it. He returned his gaze into her beauty brown eyes. It was warm, comforting, and filled with light, he couldn't let that die. Couldn't let her die if they fall. "Let go Kari, or he'll get you too!" He said.  
  
"Okay." She smiled relinquishing her hand. Takeru tried to scream, but nothing came out. The two stars, her eyes, the light of his life started to fade and blurred. He was falling, the wind brushing against his ears, plummeting down, down, to the inevitable - his death. He looked up and saw the proverbial light at the end of the equally proverbial tunnel disappeared. She was gone and so was his light and with that his hope.  
  
Takeru sat straight up in bed panting heavily, his heart beating with a vengeance, and his body drenched with sweat, he quickly looked around his room, feeling relieved to find that it was a bad dream, yet that fact couldn't shake the memory of the nightmare away. He brushed the few strands of flaxen hair away from his eyes. Looking out the window, he saw the rising sun outside slowly illuminating the city below. "Why?" He whispered quietly.  
  
Climbing out of his bed, he tiptoed his way across the room, his way illuminated by the soft glow of the rising sun. He opened the door to the balcony and allowed the morning zephyr to osculate his naked torso. 'It was just a dream.' He tried to convince himself.  
  
Takeru sighed watching the rising sun. He usually liked this time of day, the dawn. It always reminded him of Hikari; to him it was a metaphor of what she meant in his life.  
  
He was the embodiment of perpetual darkness; a universe with no moon or stars and Hikari would be the light that entered into his world. She was his hope, his light, and his raison d'être.  
  
Yet today, it pained him, his heart was overwhelmed with grief, sorrow, and anguish to the point of death; well at least he thought so. This was his first broken heart and the wound was deep and in his mind there was no end in pain.  
  
Even the cheery smile of the daystar didn't comfort him, instead it reopened the wound in his heart that was recently cut not too long ago and threw salt upon his breast - it reminded him of her smile. "Good morning Kari." He whispered sadly to himself. The early morning zephyr stung his tears dry.  
  
"Hey you're up early." His mother commented with motherly concern. "Couldn't sleep?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed drying his tears.  
  
"Want some company?"  
  
"It's a free balcony." He sighed not objecting to her presence.  
  
Nancy took a sip of her coffee and watched her son staring into the urban vista of the city. "I heard you mumbling in your sleep." Nancy strategically sighed. "Did you have a bad dream?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "That or a premonition." He mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Never mind." He sighed. "I'm just had a bad night that's all."  
  
"Kari didn't call?"  
  
"No, I called her. She didn't want to talk to me." He sighed, his eyes on the verge of tears. "It's the first time she broke a promise to me, albeit a trivial one, it still hurt nevertheless." He sighed looking towards the rising sun. "I guess I didn't know how to react." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Maybe she had a good reason not wanting to talk to you."  
  
"Maybe." He sighed, though he had doubts about it. Takeru had been racking his mind for most of the night figuring what that reason was. "I fear I'm losing her mom." He sighed, his voice cracking forming the thought.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Oh, the little things we use to do together." He sighed. "Yesterday when I picked her up to go to school she was already gone with Davis and she didn't bother to call me, she's usually more considerate, but more over it was our time, our tradition and she broke it frivolously. That along with the broken promise and lies, well I..." He sighed unable to complete the thought. "Then again I guess I couldn't blame her. I always imagined her waiting for me, but I guess her patience was depleted and decided to move on." He sighed. "It no one's fault but my own. I should have told her sooner...if only I had the courage."  
  
"So what are you going to do?"  
  
"What else?" He sighed. "Watch the sunrise and continue my day."  
  
"It is beautiful." She gasped. "It's been so long since I saw one." She gasped taking a sip of her coffee.  
  
"It's like this every morning." Takeru sighed. "That is if you get your noise out of your computer once in a while." He teased his mother.  
  
"Ha, ha, very funny." She replied with dry sarcasm.  
  
They shared a moment of laughter together. She was glad to see her son smile and laugh again. It's been such a long time since she saw him like that. "So you're just going to step aside." She sighed.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "Promises I made a long time ago."  
  
"Promises worth keeping?" She asked. "Especially when it compromises your heart?" His mother asked.  
  
"In this case yes."  
  
"All right." She sighed kissing her son on his head. The salt of the sweat on his hair lingered on her lips. "If that's what you really want." She sighed watching the sunrise.  
  
They revelled in the morning silence, the breeze and the song of the morning lark the only sound in the air. "Mom? How long does it take to mend a broken heart?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Whoa. Why don't you ask me about the nature of the universe? It's an easier question to answer." She sighed.  
  
"I'll ask you that tomorrow." He smiled. "Today I would like to know how long it takes to mend a broken heart." He reiterated his question looking at his mother.  
  
She turned to her son and saw the morning light glittering in his sapphire blue eyes. Eyes full of hope, of innocence, of pain wanting relief, eyes expecting answers. 'I wish I had one.' She thought to herself. "It's different with everyone." Nancy sighed grooming her son's hair. "You're probably in pain right now, pain with no end in sight. Everything you see reminds you of her; the thought of her being with him increases that pain; she's the first thing you think of in the morning and the last at night; she probably even haunts your dreams and ruins your appetite."  
  
"Sounds a lot like me." Takeru sighed returning his gaze towards the horizon. "When will the pain be dulled?" He sighed.  
  
"I wish you I could give you a quantitative answer."  
  
"But you can't."  
  
"No." She sighed. "The pain is with you every second of every day and in time those seconds would spread to minutes, then hours, then days and one day you'll wake up and know that it's time to move on and then you do." Nancy sighed watching the sunrise.  
  
"Like you and dad?"  
  
"Yeah." Nancy sighed sadly.  
  
"Does it still hurt?"  
  
"Sometimes." Nancy sighed. "Days like our anniversary, his birthday, or the holidays usually bring the pain out again." She sighed chuckling to herself. "Ironic isn't it? We've been divorced for eight years and I still miss him."  
  
"Do you think I'll ever get over Kari?" Takeru sighed.  
  
"Do you want my honest opinion?"  
  
"It's the reason I ask."  
  
"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself." His mother sighed. "Kari has only been on one date with Davis." She sighed. "You have to tell her your feelings." Nancy pointed out. "There's still time for this situation to turn around." She sighed taking a sip of coffee.  
  
"How many dates did it take you to know that dad was the one?"  
  
"Well..." His mother sighed.  
  
"Yeah, just like I thought." He sighed crestfallen.  
  
"Why are you so reluctant in telling her?"  
  
"Besides my promise?"  
  
"Yeah." His mother sighed. "As misguided as those promises maybe I still have a feeling that there's another reason." She sighed.  
  
"Am I that transparent?" He sighed to himself. "Don't answer that." He quickly interjected before his mother could answer.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"It's another unsaid tradition that Kari and I have...one of the few we have left and I don't want to ruin it." He sighed.  
  
"All right, but you still have to answer my question." His mother smiled.  
  
"I'm scared." Takeru confessed. "I'm scared that if I tell her she'll not feel the same way, that she'll laugh at me and our relationship will never be the same. I just can't risk our relationship of ten years for the possibility of our love."  
  
"I doubt that would happen."  
  
"It happened to Matt and Sora." Takeru pointed out.  
  
"Just because it happened to them doesn't mean it'll happen to you."  
  
"I just can't risk it."  
  
"Takeru, it is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all." His mother sighed. "Which is easier? Living a life of rejection of that of regret?" She asked rhetorically.  
  
Takeru smiled to himself. He was thinking about the very same question two days ago when he decided to tell Hikari his feelings. At that time his answer was rejection, but now it's different. "My mind says rejection, my heart says regret or visa versa it's hard to distinguish the two lately." He sighed looking his mother in the eye. "I'm willing to live a life of regret, especially over this matter." He sighed.  
  
"That is of course, your prerogative." His mother sighed. "But don't expect me to be happy about it." She sighed giving a supporting smile.  
  
"Thanks mom." He smiled kissing her.  
  
"Go on, put a shirt on." She sighed. "We have to pick up Kari soon."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
'Dear Dairy,  
  
It's me again. Why do I keep writing that? It's not like anyone else would write in this thing. Sorry about not writing last night, but you'll understand when you hear this. Okay, okay, I'm stalling. I guess you want to know how my date went last night.  
  
Well my date with Davis wasn't perfect in the secular or ecclesiastical view, but...memorable nevertheless. We started out the night dancing at Matt's concert - he even played the song that he wrote for Sora, which reminds me I have to do something to thank him, I know it wasn't easy for him, but it was so romantic the way he dedicate the song to us.  
  
We went to Le Rendez-Vous it was so romantic. The restaurant conveniently lost our reservation because well...it seems that Davis has been calling for reservations for the last eight weeks without showing so they thought it was a prank. With his charm we manage to get a table and our meal fifty percent off. That didn't help though, but I'll tell you more about it later.  
  
Our date began with a small argument...I guess it's partially my fault. I shouldn't have talk about T.K. so liberally especially when I know the animosity between them. I told him that there was nothing to be jealous of because I have no romantic feelings for T.K. whatsoever...at least I don't think so...  
  
After having our first argument dealt with we actually had fun, that is, until the bill came. It seems that Davis lost his wallet and we ended having to wash dishes for dinner, now I know what you're thinking, but I had fun, really, honest. We almost kissed twice in the process - almost.  
  
What did the busboy say? 'We all have to sing for our dinner.' I thought that was a clever phrase...must be American because I never heard of it before. Tai told me another American phrase this morning, 'A penny for your thoughts.' I'll tend to that phrase later.  
  
Davis felt so bad for how the date went. I reassured him more then once that I had a good time. I hope he believed me, because I was sincere about it. I even told him I'd go out with him tonight, which reminds me I have to figure what I want to do. I was supposed to get back to him this morning at graduation.  
  
I was expecting Davis to kiss me last night and true to form he did. What I didn't expect was the ramifications of trying to kiss him. As I was about to kiss him I saw T.K. standing there instead of Davis. I freaked making some excuse about not kissing on the first date and rushed to my room.  
  
Tai was waiting for me with T.K. on the phone. I guess T.K. was worried about me not calling him back. I promise to get back to him and talk about our date, but I couldn't talk to him and told Tai to make up some excuse. So in the first time in ten years I broke a promise and lied to him. I don't know how I'm going to make it up to him.  
  
I spent the whole night rationalizing why I picture T.K. when I was kissing Davis. Do I love him? The thought of thinking of T.K. in a romantic context has never crossed my mind. In any case, it's too late. It seems that T.K. likes Chastity Shiozaki, who ironically likes someone else; it's obvious that he doesn't think of me in a romantic context. Then why can't I get the thought of his lips on mine out of my head?  
  
Isn't it ironic? I might be in love with someone who likes someone else who like someone else. Hey that was fun. In Davis' case he likes someone (me) who might like someone else (T.K.) who likes someone (Chastity) who likes someone else (T.K. was ambiguous who this may be). Does that make any sense? I hope it did. If not then join the club, because it's driving me nuts!  
  
It is times like these that I wished that my dad were still alive. He always knew what to say and put things into perspective like only he could do. Tai did an above average job though; he even brought me hot chocolate with marshmallows like daddy use to, but it wasn't the same. I can't blame him though; daddy had more life experience and his love life wasn't in shambles like Tai's. Then again, it felt comforting knowing that I wasn't alone in my romantic despair. How did T.K. put it? Misery loves company.  
  
Helping with my love life is not the only thing I wish daddy were still alive for. Today Tai and I are graduating from Junior High and Elementary school respectively. With only one parent and two different ceremonies brings quite a conundrum. Who's ceremony would mom go to? Mom said that she would go to Tai's graduation service and arranged it with T.K.'s mother to videotape mine.  
  
I guess I understand why my mother would go to Tai's graduation; I mean what is more important in the grand scheme of things, an elementary school graduation or a junior high? Ironically when I graduate junior high, Tai would be graduating high school. I have a feeling that I'll lose out to my brother to that too. I wish daddy were still here...why did he have to die?'  
  
"Kari! Your ride's here." Her mother's voice emanated from the living room.  
  
"Coming!" She replied. 'Got to go, my ride's here. Write to you later...' Hikari quickly scribbled the last sentence in her dairy and put it in her book bag and walked out of her room, her mother was standing by the doorframe waiting for her.  
  
"Sorry mom, I was writing in my dairy." She smiled.  
  
"I understand." Her mother smiled. "Before you go, I wanted to apologize about not going to your graduation ceremony."  
  
"Hey mom, don't be sorry." Hikari smiled. "I understand. Even super moms couldn't be in two places at once and trust me you are a super mom."  
  
"Thanks." She smiled. "Now get out there, T.K.'s mom is waiting for you."  
  
"T.K.'s mom?" She gasped. "Where's T.K.?"  
  
"I don't know, he didn't show."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know." Her mother sighed. "I might be a super mom, but I'm not telepathic. Why don't you ask her?" She replied walking towards the living room. Hikari quickly followed after her with a bad feeling haunting her.  
  
"Good Morning, Miss. Takaishi." Hikari greeted politely.  
  
"Good Morning Kari, you look beautiful today."  
  
"Thank you." She smiled. "Umm...where's T.K.?" She hesitantly asked.  
  
"He's downstairs in the car. I'm double parked."  
  
"Oh." Hikari sighed, the feeling of uneasiness still there.  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Nancy Takaishi asked.  
  
Hikari snapped out of her gaze and blushed slightly. "Yeah. Let me get my coat." She said heading towards the closet. "Ready." She smiled.  
  
They walked towards the elevator and entered. Hikari was still lost in thought; she was wondering why Takeru didn't rush up to pick her up. His mother's explanation was simple enough, but she couldn't shake the bad feeling. Nancy Takaishi noticed her concerning disposition. "Something wrong Kari?"  
  
"It's just strange that T.K. didn't come up. I thought he'd fight you tooth and nail to pick me up." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Who says he didn't?" Nancy smiled. "If I sent my son up to fetch you. I'll be waiting forever."  
  
"Yeah I guess that's true." She sighed unconvincingly.  
  
Nancy Takaishi looked at the source of her son's broken heart and the origin of his sorrow. 'She genuinely worried about him.' Nancy thought observing what she considered a surrogate daughter - a daughter she always wanted.  
  
She wanted to tell Hikari about her son's feelings to end his melancholic demeanour, but she knew that it wasn't her place to do so nor did she want to lose her son's confidence in her. 'I have to respect Takeru's decision, even thought I disagree with him.' She exasperated. 'Yet I have to tell her something, so she wouldn't worry.' She rationalized. "The truth is T.K. isn't feeling well." Nancy sighed.  
  
"He's not sick is he?" Hikari asked with concern.  
  
"No." Nancy sighed. "He's just having women problems." Nancy sighed hoping not to reveal the obvious.  
  
"Oh, you mean Chastity Shiozaki." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Chastity?" Nancy was confused. 'Is Takeru in love with two women?' She allowed that thought to enter her mind. "Who's Chastity?"  
  
"She's the object of your son's affections." Hikari explained. "He hasn't told you?" She asked with confusion.  
  
"No." Nancy sighed. "I just know that he really likes this girl who evidently likes someone else." She said suspiciously looking at Hikari.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "I wouldn't be concern if T.K. hasn't told you, I found out her name yesterday and I had to corner him against a wall with Matt beside me to get the name out." Hikari explained.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. It's too bad that she likes someone else." She sighed.  
  
"Yes, it is a shame." Nancy replied with suspicion. She was now able to put the piece of the puzzle together. Her son told Hikari that he liked this Chastity Shiozaki to explain why he was feeling so blue. 'If she would only know how wrong she was.' Nancy sighed allowing that thought to tempt her. "He was really despondent last night." Nancy sighed. "Please don't mention I said anything."  
  
"Understood." Hikari smiled.  
  
They quickly dashed through the vestibule of the apartment building to a blue car that was double-parked near the entrance. In his peripheral vision he saw Hikari running with his mother. "Act cool." He coached himself. The last thing Takeru wanted was to allow Hikari to think that she hurt him.  
  
"Hey T.K." Hikari smiled entering the car.  
  
"Hey Kari." Takeru turned greeting in return.  
  
Hikari was happy to see his cerulean blue eyes sparkling at the sight of her. Their eyes locked and for the first time they saw pain and uncertainty in each other eyes. Hikari suppressed the memory of wanting to kiss him, while seeing her made Takeru's heartache. For the first time in their relationship there was a cold silence between them.  
  
"You two have your seatbelts on?" Nancy asked breaking the silence. The two children responded with affirmation instantaneously. Nancy started the car and started driving.  
  
The silence in the car was uncanny, like there was an intense wall between the two. Nancy wanted to make some small talk, but anything that crossed her mind would put her son in a very uncomfortable spot.  
  
"So..." Takeru broke the silence. "How was your date last night?" He asked nonchalantly, trying to conceal the fact that he was hurt. Hikari knew by the sound of his voice that he was hiding something - something that he didn't want her to know.  
  
"Great." Hikari replied unconvincingly, that is only to Takeru. He knew the pitches of her voice as well as she knew his. She too was hiding something that she didn't want him to know, and he knew that. "I'm sorry that I didn't call you last night...it's just that..."  
  
"I understand." Takeru sighed. "Tai told me that you were asleep. I guess you were tired from your date last night." He added quickly hiding the fact that he didn't hear her conversation with her brother over the phone last night.  
  
"Yeah, it was." Hikari replied knowing that he knew the truth. So there they are, three people in a car, knowing that everyone was hiding something, but too afraid to confront each other. So they continue with their pretence, their charade and continued their small talk.  
  
Nancy felt relieved that the school was within her sights. She just couldn't take any more of the pretence discussion that they were having. 'Hikari obviously feeling bad about something, but what?' She thought. "We're here." She announced stopping the car.  
  
The three exited the car in silence and walked towards the front doors of Odaiba Elementary. The silence and the pretence were driving Hikari crazy; she decided to break the charade that they were playing ever since she entered the car. "T.K. could we talk?" Hikari sighed. "In private." She added those words at his mother.  
  
Nancy took the hint and smiled. "Honey, I'll be waiting for you in the auditorium." She told her son crossing the threshold into the school.  
  
"What is it Kari?" Takeru asked.  
  
Hikari waited until his mother was out of earshot before beginning. "I wanted to apologize for not calling you and about breaking my promise last night." She said sincerely.  
  
"I told you that I understand."  
  
"I know that you heard our conversation over the phone last night." Hikari pointed out. "I know this and so do you."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Takeru replied innocently.  
  
"Cut the pretence!" She exasperated. "You know that you can't fool me Takeru Takaishi. We both know that you overheard my conversation with Tai, and we both know that we're trying to hide it."  
  
Takeru exasperated and sat down on the front steps of the school. He looked at his love and patted a spot next to him suggesting that she should sit down. Hikari smiled and agreed waiting patiently for him to begin. "You're right." He sighed. "I do know the circumstance of why you didn't want to talk to me last night, I just don't know the reason." He sighed chuckling to himself. "I have been hiding things from you too."  
  
"I know." She sheepishly returned.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "I had the suspicion for a while."  
  
"Since when did we start hiding things from each other?" Takeru sighed reminiscing over the good old days. "We use to tell each other everything. What happened to us?" He rhetorically asked not expecting an answer.  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "Maybe life's more difficult in Junior High." She sighed not believing the answer. "Maybe we're growing apart."  
  
"Maybe." Takeru sighed. "I hope not." He smiled looking at Hikari. She smiled and leaned against his shoulder.  
  
"T.K. what are you hiding from me?" She sheepishly asked.  
  
"I can't tell you." Takeru sighed. "At least not now, or maybe ever, but I'll promise I'll tell you when the right time comes, if it ever does." He replied enigmatically. "What about you? What are you hiding from me? Why wouldn't you talk to me last night?"  
  
"I can't tell you either." She sighed. "At least now, but I'll promise to tell you when the right time comes." Her voice cracked mimicking Takeru's pervious statement.  
  
"I see." Takeru sighed. "I guess it's only fair, each of us hiding something from each other." He sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Hey Kari!" Daisuke yelled.  
  
Hikari bolted her head from Takeru's shoulder and looked in the general direction of Daisuke's salutation. "Hey Davis." She smiled.  
  
"What are you guys doing?"  
  
Takeru and Hikari looked at each other searching for an answer in each other's eyes. "Talking." They replied in unison.  
  
"What about?"  
  
"Life." Takeru exasperated.  
  
"Oh." Daisuke sighed. "So Kari have you decided what we're doing tonight?" He ostentatious asked.  
  
"The two of you are going out again?" Takeru gasped trying to hide his tears.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari blushed at her best friend. "It's getting late." Hikari sighed. "Could we talk about it after graduation?" She asked Daisuke. The truth of the matter she hasn't thought very much about the date.  
  
"Okay." Daisuke smiled. "Milady may I have the honour of escorting you in?" He quixotically teased, offering his arm. Daisuke was playing on the fact that they were crowned prom king and queen a couple of nights ago.  
  
"Of course milord." She smiled plying the charade. She got up from the steps with the help of her king's hand. She smiled and gazed into his brown, chestnut eyes. Suddenly she noticed that Takeru was still sitting on the steps. "Coming T.K.?" She asked noticing that he was in a gaze.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "Just give me a minute." He smiled getting up. Hikari gave a reassuring smile and crossed the threshold of the school with Daisuke. Takeru sighed watching them walked arm and arm away, his heart pierced by the sight. 'Remember T.K. you chose regret over rejection, don't give up your convictions now, especially when everything's getting harder, you're doing the right thing not tell Kari your feelings. Remember it was you who chose this dark path that you now tread, as it is you who must walk it alone.' He thought sadly. "I'll hope you'll be happy with him." He sighed walking through Odaiba Elementary, perhaps for the last time in a long time.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Coming!" Yamato exasperated. "It never fails." He mumbled. "Every time I get into the shower someone's always comes to pay a visit." He mumbled under his breath. He quickly dried his golden blond hair and wrapped the towel around his waist and stormed towards the front door.  
  
The doorbell had been ringing continuously for five minutes without pause and it seems like it wouldn't stop anytime soon. 'I hope this is not another obsessed fan.' He sighed. 'Just when I got rid of Jun Motomiya...' He sighed secretively crossing his fingers hoping that it wasn't another obsessive fan. "If you're selling me something, I don't want it." He yelled sarcastically opening the door. "T.K.? What the..."  
  
"Hey Matt." He greeted nonchalantly. "Glad you're home." Takeru mumbled crossing the threshold of the door not waiting on ceremony of being asked in and dashed towards the chesterfield and threw himself upon it. "You're right." He exclaimed melancholy.  
  
"Of course I'm right." Yamato smiled. "What else is new? I'm always right." He smiled walking towards Takeru and saw his baby brother covered his head with a cushion. "Just exactly what am I right about?"  
  
"I like Kari." His voice filtered through the cushion.  
  
"What? I didn't hear that." Yamato lied.  
  
Takeru took the pillow off his face. His icy blue eyes peered into his brother's. "It's Kari! Not Chastity! Kari is the girl that I like!" He exasperated.  
  
"Big surprise." Yamato sarcastically sighed. "So when are you going to tell her?" He asked sitting on the armchair opposite the chesterfield.  
  
"I'm not." Takeru declared.  
  
"You what?" Yamato gasped.  
  
Takeru sat up and looked at his brother's shocked face. "I'm not going to tell her my feelings." He sighed.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because she's with Davis now." Takeru confessed brokenheartedly.  
  
"T.K." Yamato replied sympathetically. "I hardly believe that one date with Davis means that she's with him." He tried to reassure.  
  
"Really?" Takeru answered sarcastically. "Then how many dates did it take you to know that Sora was the one?"  
  
"That's..."  
  
"Different?" Takeru completed his brother's sentence.  
  
"You heard it before?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "Mom and dad said the same thing. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now." He sighed. "Besides they're having their second date tonight and for what I gather she was the one who asked him out." He added.  
  
"I'm sorry." Yamato whispered. "But still it doesn't explain why you won't tell Kari your feelings. Men have been telling women who were in love with other men their feelings for generations. So the question still remains: why won't you tell Kari your feelings?"  
  
Takeru looked at his brother and thought for a moment. 'Should I tell him the reason? The truth would hurt him.' He thought. "I don't want to put her in the same situation as you did with Sora?" He replied above a whisper.  
  
"You mean what Tai did to Sora?"  
  
"What you did or what Tai did, its all semantics." Takeru sighed. "Regardless I don't want to force Kari to chose between Davis and I." He reiterated. "I would rather be her friend then to live my life without her."  
  
"Just because it happened to us..."  
  
"Yeah I know." Takeru sighed. "I've heard it before. I just can't take the chance of that happening and I know that you can't guarantee that it wouldn't happen to us." He pointed out.  
  
"I wish I could." Yamato sighed. "I wish Sora, Tai and I could be friends again." He sighed. "I wish everything could go back to the way it was." He sighed. 'I wish we could have served a better example to you.' He thought secretively to himself.  
  
Silence was in the air while the brothers were in deep thought. Takeru broke the stillness with a slight chuckle. "Ironic isn't it?" He snickered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"The digidestined with the crest of Friendship not having or keeping any friends." Takeru teased.  
  
"Not half as ironic as the digidestined with the crest and digimantle of Hope losing hope...especially over a girl." Although it was meant as an observation it still pained Takeru to hear it. Yamato saw how his comment hurt his brother and decided to change the subject. "Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"Not telling Kari your feelings?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "This is the path I've chosen."  
  
"It's a very painful one."  
  
"Yeah I know." He sighed.  
  
"Then I don't get it, why are you here?" Yamato sighed.  
  
"Pardon?" Takeru gasped. "I don't understand."  
  
"Well it seems like you figure everything out on your own." He said leaning back into his chair. "So why did you come here, if not to pester me?" Yamato smiled.  
  
"Gee I thought I was welcomed here." Takeru smiled.  
  
"You kidding me? Half the time I'm trying to get rid of you." He teased. "Seriously now why did you come over?"  
  
"Brotherly support." Takeru confessed. "That and because I'm hungry."  
  
"All right." Yamato smiled. "I'll go make some lunch." He got up and headed for the kitchen. "If I remember correctly you like spicy meals don't you?" He asked with a devilish smile.  
  
"Uh...yeah." Takeru lied. "But you don't have to really, I ordered some pizza before I came - my treat." He smiled. "I remember your cooking all too well." Takeru teased.  
  
"Oh." Yamato sighed. "And I was really looking forward to it." He teased sitting back down.  
  
"Hey Matt since when do you answer the door in a towel?" Yamato growled and threw a cushion towards his brother in response.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
'Dear Dairy: Addendum,  
  
It's me again. I really have to get an inventive way of introducing myself. In any case, I had an interesting (for lack of a better word) morning. I was expecting T.K. to pick me up for graduation, but was pleasantly surprised to see his mother. She made a reasonable excuse of her son's absence, but I had a feeling that it was a rouse and I was right.  
  
It seems that T.K. knew about the lie I made yesterday when I came home from my date with Davis and he knew that I broke my promise that probably damaged our friendship in the process. I wanted to tell him about my attempted kiss with Davis last night - that I saw him there standing next to me instead of Davis, but I couldn't, especially the way he feels for Chastity.  
  
So there we were: T.K. hiding the fact that he was hurt and I hiding a revelation that could possible change our relationship forever. So instead of the truth we put on a pretence of civility and had one of our most shallow conversations, all in the name of protecting each other.  
  
I confronted T.K. about our pretence and to my surprise he was hiding something from me too - that is beside the fact he knew about my deception. I was shocked and hurt to hear that. It's the first time in our ten-year relationship that we kept things from each other. T.K. is right; we use to share everything with each other, what has happened to us? I hope we're not growing apart - he has been a big milestone in my life.  
  
I just realized today that another word for graduation is commencement. Taking from the verb: to commence meaning to begin or to start. Perhaps, this is the beginning of the rest of my life and perhaps a better relationship with T.K. - Why don't I believe that? What good relationship starts out with a foundation of lies and secrets? Why do I think that this metamorphosis will be the destruction of our relationship?  
  
In other news, today was my graduation. It was rather exciting and scary to know that we've outgrown our elementary lives and are heading to the cruel world of junior high were every mark counts towards the determination of high school entrance and ultimately into collage.  
  
Ken Ichijouji a.k.a. the boy genius was valedictorian - not totally a big surprise. T.K. and I were co-salutatorian that was a big surprise, not for T.K. because he's a bright fellow, but for me. I never knew that I was that bright certainly not for contention for salutatorian, as for Davis...well he's down there somewhere.  
  
Speaking of Davis, he asked me about our second date tonight. It's not like I've forgotten about it - it's just that I felt incredibly embarrassed talking about our relationship in front of T.K. and the fact that I felt much less enthusiastic about going out with him then I did when I made the date last night also factored in. Then again when I made that date it was before the disastrous kiss, which rocked my foundation.  
  
Ugh...What am I to do? I can't go out with Davis if I have these feelings for T.K. and I certainly can't use Davis in the mean time if I don't feel the same way he does for me. Why does love have to be so hard? How does one know when they're in love? I tried to ask Tai this but he freaked and I can't talk to mom because she'll make a big production about it and the last thing I needed was another lecture. I would go to my big sister if I had one, so I went to the next best thing...'  
  
"Kari what are you doing here?" The familiar voice interrupted her writing.  
  
Hikari looked up and smiled at Sora Takenouchi and her mother. "Hey Sora, Mrs. Takenouchi." She greeted getting off the bench near their flower shop. "I just wanted to talk to you."  
  
"Oh." She sounded surprised. "What about?" Sora asked.  
  
"Umm...it's private."  
  
"Oh." She gasped. "If it was that important you should have e-mailed me. I would have stopped what I was doing." Sora reassured.  
  
"And drop your only mother-daughter day at the mall running up your father's credit card bill? Never." Hikari teased seeing several shopping bags in each of their hands.  
  
"How very thoughtful." Sora's mother smiled in returned. "Isn't she thoughtful Sora?" She smiled opening the shop.  
  
"Indeed." Sora smiled handing Hikari a couple of bags that she was holding. "Com'on in, we can talk while you'll help me rearrange some flowers while mom takes her customary nap." She smiled.  
  
"Sounds like fun." Hikari smiled crossing the threshold of the humble flower shop. "But I have to warn you I don't exactly have a green thumb." She cautioned.  
  
"I'll risk it." Sora smiled. It took her a good fifteen minutes in the back to put away her stuff she bought on her father's credit card. "So who's the guy that's bothering you? Davis or T.K.?" Sora smiled coming out of the back room.  
  
"How do you know that I'm having men problems?" Hikari gasped feeling a little embarrassed about the obviousness of her state of emotions.  
  
"Oh, it wasn't so hard to figure out." Sora sighed. "You and Tai have a good relationship and could talk about anything and everything under the sun except boys." She teased.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "He's rather protective."  
  
"I think the word you're looking for is overprotective." Sora smiled picking a sprig of orchids and placed it aesthetically in a glass vase. "So are you going to tell me or not?" She smiled.  
  
"Eventually." Hikari sighed. "It's just complicated." Hikari said handing Sora another sprig of foliage.  
  
"Isn't it always when it pertains to matters of the heart?" Sora sighed, having some recent experience in that area.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "Sora, how do you know when you're in love?" She sheepishly mumbled.  
  
Sora chuckled secretively to herself. "You couldn't ask a more difficult question could you?" She sighed looking at her long time friend. "Kari, if you have to ask that question it's rather a good indication that you're not." Sora pointed out. She saw disappointment in her eyes and took sympathy for her. "Kari, just exactly why are you asking me this question?"  
  
"Last night I had my first date with Davis."  
  
"My condolences." Sora jested.  
  
"No I had fun, really." Hikari protested. "Why does everyone think it would be such a bad ordeal?" She asked with frustration.  
  
"Uh huh, then why are you here complaining?" Sora asked. "That's usually a good indication that you weren't happy with the date."  
  
"It's not the date that I have the problem with it was the goodnight kiss."  
  
"Did Davis try to kiss you when you weren't ready?"  
  
"No, I wanted to kiss Davis..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"Just when I was about to kiss Davis I pictured T.K. standing right there ready to kiss me back." She cracked with frustration.  
  
"Oh, that is bad." Sora sighed.  
  
"You see my dilemma." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Sora smiled. "It's not as overwhelming as you make it to be." Sora said nonchalantly picking up another sprig of orchids. "This problem has a very simple solution, albeit difficult in application."  
  
"What is it?" Hikari gasped. "Please tell me." She begged.  
  
"Who do you like better, Davis or T.K.?"  
  
"That's it?" Hikari replied with disappointment. "That's your solution?"  
  
"I told you it was a simple one..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know, with a difficult execution." Hikari sighed. "I've been racking that question in my mind since last night."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Well Davis could be loud, rash, obnoxious, annoying with a very surprising sweet, caring, tender, passionate, and sensitive side. He wears his heart on his sleeve and speaks his mind regardless of how his feelings may get hurt, which is refreshing in this day and age." Hikari's voice started to fade as she entered a gaze.  
  
Sora waited patiently for Hikari to finish her thought when she noticed that she was in her own little world. Sora gave a soft sigh, she knew that look all too well - she once had that look for Yamato and Taichi. "And what about T.K.?"  
  
Her question got Hikari out of her gaze blushing slightly feeling embarrassed for being caught in her daydream. "Umm...T.K. he's my best friend. I've known him close to ten years." Hikari sighed.  
  
"And you have no romantic feelings for T.K. whatsoever?" Sora teased.  
  
"I'll be lying if I told you I haven't." Hikari slightly blushed at the confession. "But my feelings for T.K. are irrelevant." She exasperated.  
  
"Oh why is that?"  
  
"He likes someone else."  
  
"Really?" Sora gasped in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah, her name is Chastity Shiozaki, head cheerleader, long bond hair, blue eyes, alabaster skin, perfect teeth, smart and very pretentious, frankly I don't know what T.K. sees in her." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Sounds like you're jealous." Sora teased.  
  
"I'm not!" Hikari defended.  
  
"Uh huh." Sora replied unconvincingly.  
  
"I'm not jealous!" She protested.  
  
"It's perfectly all right if you are." Sora sighed. "It just means that you're human." She explained.  
  
"Sora, for the last time. I AM NOT JEALOUS." Hikari said pronouncing the last four words to Sora while looking into her eyes.  
  
"All right, all right." Sora lifted her hands as a gesture for surrender. "Your jealously notwithstanding, it looks like T.K. has made his choice no matter how painful it may be for you." Sora pointed out.  
  
"I am not jealous." Hikari protested snapping the stem of the flower she was handling in half. "I'm sorry." She sheepishly whispered at what she's done. "I told you about my green thumb."  
  
Sora chuckled at the sight and quickly forgave her for the broken flower. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." She continued her teasing regardless.  
  
"Ugh...you're incorrigible." Hikari exasperated, this time restraining herself from breaking another stem. "Since when were you so irrepressible?"  
  
"I don't know." Sora smiled staring into the horizon trying to figure out when and where she picked up that particular quirk. "I think I picked up that idiosyncrasy from your brother when I was...dating him." The last two words took her breath away making her really silent.  
  
"You really miss Tai don't you?"  
  
"Matt too." Sora sighed. "I just wish things could have ended better between the three of us." Her voice became sombre.  
  
"It still can." Hikari said sympathetically.  
  
"I don't know." Sora sighed. "Maybe there's too much water under the bridge for reconciliation." She chuckled to herself. "Funny isn't it? The bearer of the crest of love can't find or hold onto it." She sighed, speaking mostly to herself. "Kari, whatever you do make sure you're definite about your feelings before proceeding any further. It's not fair playing with Davis' heart while you make your decision." Sora pointed out.  
  
"And if I do have feelings for T.K. and in turn he likes Chastity?"  
  
"That's his prerogative." Sora sighed. "You have to allow T.K., your best friend to explore his feelings for Chastity as you for Davis and T.K." Sora pointed out.  
  
"What if Chastity likes another boy."  
  
"Does she?"  
  
"According to the lovesick T.K." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Wait a minute." Sora paused. "Are you telling me that Davis likes you, where you are trying to decided your feelings for T.K., who likes Chastity, who likes some other boy?" She reiterated the whole situation.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why are love problems in Elementary School more difficult then I remembered?" Sora asked rhetorically, picking up another stem. "You realize the whole lot of you are hopeless." She teased.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari started to laugh at the helplessness of her situation.  
  
Sora joined in with her laughter. "Remember one thing, above all else follow your heart and whatever the consequences that happened because of it you'll be far better off then ignoring it." She smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Hikari smiled giving Sora a hug. "I'll do that."  
  
"I wish I could have been more help." Sora confessed.  
  
"No you did, more than you can imagine." Hikari smiled. "I better be going...I have a date with Davis." She sighed.  
  
"Kari." Sora said sternly.  
  
"What I can't break a date I made." She smiled innocently.  
  
"Be careful." She warned.  
  
"I will." Hikari smiled leaving the flower shop. She glanced at her watch and realized that she had to get ready for her date and decided to hasten her pace, while doing so she bumped into an innocent bystander. "My apologize." She apologized and helped picked up some parcels that the stranger dropped.  
  
"That's okay, Kari. Make sure it doesn't happen again." The familiar voice emanated from above.  
  
Hikari gasped and wondered how the stranger knew her voice. She looked up to see the blue-eyed, blond hair mistress. "Chastity?" She gasped getting up and gave the packages to Chastity.  
  
"Thanks." Chastity smiled. "Congratulations on you being salutatorian." She said with suppressed bitterness. Ever since Ken Ichijouji was transferred to Odaiba Elementary every student knew that the battle for valedictorian was fruitless, so the battle for salutatorian was a heated one. Chastity Shiozaki was in high contention for being salutatorian, but came in bitter fourth after the Kamiya-Takaishi pair tying for second.  
  
"Thanks I was pleasantly surprised." Hikari smiled with humility.  
  
"I'm sure you were." Chastity replied and turned leaving.  
  
Hikari watched her walk away and thought how Takeru really liked her. Above all things, even her feelings, she wanted him to be happy, that's when an epiphany hit her. "Hey Chastity what are you doing tonight at six?"  
  
Chastity stopped and turned around. "Nothing, why do you ask?"  
  
"I was wondering if you would like to join Davis and I for a double date." Hikari smiled devilishly. "There's a guy who really likes you who wants to go out with you."  
  
"Really? Who?"  
  
"I can't say."  
  
"Then I can't go." Chastity said bluntly. "A person of my stature can't go out with just anyone." She aristocratically sighed.  
  
"Don't you trust me?" Chastity wanted to tell Hikari what she really thought of her, but refrained herself and remained silent. "All right." Hikari sighed giving up. "It's T.K."  
  
"What?" Chastity gasped with disbelief. She had always thought that her infatuation with Takeru was not reciprocated. Chastity always thought that Takeru liked Hikari, which is why she had great animosity towards her.  
  
"Yeah. Don't tell him that I told you, but he has a big crush on you."  
  
"Really?" Chastity asked with disbelief. "Why are you doing this?"  
  
"I want him to be happy and you make him happy." Hikari sighed. This was the first time Chastity found out how much she really cared for him. "So will you do it?"  
  
"Sure." Chastity smiled.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Thanks for lunch bro." Yamato said throwing a piece of crust into the pizza box. "You should come over more often - especially when you buying pizza, next time order more hot peppers."  
  
"Not even in your wildest dreams." Takeru smiled playfully throwing a cushion at his brother. "You have more money than I do."  
  
"But I'm always broke."  
  
"Right, you have more money than I do." Takeru smiled.  
  
Yamato gracefully threw the cushion back at his brother while answering the ringing phone in one smooth action. "I get you later." He whispered as he put the receiver to his ear. "Ishida Residences, Matt speaking." He answered. "Oh, hey Kari." He smiled, in the corner of his eye he could see his baby brother sit up with attention. "How are you?" He asked to prolong Takeru's suffering. "No, T.K. didn't tell me that you two were co-salutatorians. Congratulations." Yamato said giving his brother the evil eye. "T.K.? Sure he's here." Takeru stood up with excitement waiting for his brother to give him the phone. "I'll check I think he's in the can." Yamato teased.  
  
"What?" Takeru whispered with indignation.  
  
"Maybe if you call back in a half an hour, he usually takes that long."  
  
"What!" Takeru exasperated. With his basketball like finesse he jumped over the glass coffee table separating the chesterfield and armchair where they retrospectively sat and tackled his brother on the floor. "I'm going to get you for this Matt." He intimidated.  
  
"I told you that I'd get you back." Yamato smiled.  
  
At that Takeru manage to wrestle the phone off his older brother. "Kari, Kari, are you still there?" He gasped, panting for breath. He was glad that his older brother was more interested in music then sports growing up, because now he was able to catch up with him and give a decent fight when needed be.  
  
"Yeah. I'm still here." Hikari unsuccessfully suppressed a chuckle. "I hope that I wasn't taking you away from anything important." She teased.  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "Matt was just playing around with you." He protested.  
  
"Uh huh." Hikari exclaimed, not entirely believing him.  
  
"So why are you calling?" Takeru asked, changing the subject. The last thing he wanted was to have an argument with her.  
  
"I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight at six at my place?" Hikari asked.  
  
He was elated to hear that she was asking him out on a date. "Yes. I love to." Yamato could see the daffy grimace on his baby's brother face, and then he saw that very smile sour into the crestfallen demeanour he had earlier. "What about Davis I thought you two have a date tonight?" He asked. Yamato recognized the tone of voice he had, he had it once, not too long ago, and it was heartache.  
  
"He'll be here." He could hear Hikari smiling on the other end.  
  
"I don't know Kari." Takeru sighed. "I don't want to be a third wheel on your date." He sighed.  
  
"You won't." Hikari hinted. "There's someone I want you to meet."  
  
"A blind date? A blind double date?" He gasped. "I don't know Kari."  
  
"Please, please." Hikari begged. "You'll really like this girl, I promise." She gloated.  
  
"Kari, I really..." The phone was taken away from him before he could finish his sentence. "Hey." He protested realizing that his brother took the phone.  
  
"Kari, he'll love to." Yamato said.  
  
"What?" Takeru gasped.  
  
"All right, I'll tell him." He sighed hanging up the phone.  
  
"Why do you go and do that for?" Takeru protested.  
  
"To get you out of this self-pity mood that you've been in lately." Yamato pointed out. "I don't want you moping around here all summer like this."  
  
"Aren't I'm allowed?"  
  
"Whatever." Yamato sighed. "Look you have to get over Kari sooner or later."  
  
"Like you did with Sora."  
  
"That's different." Yamato replied. He looked at his baby brother who didn't quite believe him. "For one thing I didn't make a promise to myself to never tell Sora about my feelings for her, like you did with Kari."  
  
"And when was the last time you told Sora your feelings?"  
  
Takeru could see the proverbial steam coming out of his ear. "You're going on that blind date!" Yamato exclaimed leaving the room.  
  
"No I'm not!" Takeru yelled back.  
  
"Fine then you call Kari and break her matchmaking heart!" Yamato's voice boomed from his room.  
  
"Fine I will." Takeru yelled back picking up the phone. He confidently dialled Hikari's number and listen to the phone ring thrice.  
  
"Hello?" Hikari answered.  
  
"Hey Kari." Takeru greeted.  
  
"T.K." Hikari exclaimed. "I'm so glad that you coming over. I can't wait until you come over. I'm sorry I'm being loquacious, you wanted to ask something?" She said remembering that it was Takeru who called her.  
  
She sounded so happy that Takeru couldn't break her heart. "I was wondering if you want me to bring anything." Takeru sighed making up the first excuse that came through his mind.  
  
"No, just bring your handsome self." Hikari smiled.  
  
"All right." Takeru sighed. "See you at six." He said hanging up. "I'm going to kill you Matt." He mumbled under his breath.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
For the last couple of hours Hikari Kamiya had been quite the busy bee. She had convinced her brother to be out of the house for her date, which was no easy task to do; she had to call in a big favour that her brother owned her plus the promise she would not be alone with Daisuke in the house. She then cleaned the house, bought some groceries (because she refused to serve her mother's health conscious food), got dressed, and was now cooking dinner for four. She never knew how much work it took to plan a date.  
  
The doorbell suddenly rang; her heart jumped a couple beats. She noticed the time on the clock and realized that her dinner guests were early, the bell rung again. "Coming." She sang rushing towards the door.  
  
"Hi Kari." Daisuke greeted with a smile.  
  
"You're early." Hikari gasped fixing her hair and clothes.  
  
"Yeah. I couldn't wait to see you again." He smiled giving a single long stem red rose as a peace offering.  
  
Hikari took the flower and smiled. "All right, come in." She sighed. "Dinner will be ready in momentarily. Make yourself at home." She smiled allowing her date to enter her house.  
  
"Smells delicious." Daisuke complemented.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Could I help you?" Daisuke offered.  
  
"I never knew you could cook."  
  
"Yeah. I'm an expert in making instant noodles." Daisuke boasted.  
  
Hikari suppressed a slight chuckle. "No that's okay." She smiled. "What I'm cooking is more complex then boiling water." She teased.  
  
"Hey, one of these days I'm going to make a fortune running a multi-million dollar chain restaurant of instant noodles, and you Kari would be my noodle queen." He joked.  
  
Hikari couldn't help but to giggle at the joke. "Well until then milord, you can make yourself at home and add this rose to the baker's dozen you gave me on the vase on the dinning table." She ordered pushing him out of the kitchen.  
  
"At your command milady." He smiled headed towards the dinning table where he noticed candlesticks on a mahogany table with a glass vase of red roses as the centrepiece. 'Very romantic.' He thought. He approached the glass vase and put the fourteenth red rose that he gave her in the last three days. "What the?" Daisuke gasped. He noticed that there were four place settings. "Hey Kari is your brother and mother joining us for dinner?" He asked entering the kitchen.  
  
"No. Why do you ask?"  
  
"They're four place settings on the table."  
  
"Oh that." Hikari blushed. "I've invited another couple to dine with us."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Promise you won't get mad?"  
  
"Don't tell me." Daisuke sighed. "T.K."  
  
"And Chastity." Hikari added quickly. "I set them up on a blind date. I'm a romantic and want to see my best friend happy." She loquaciously added. "So are you mad with me?" She asked innocently wrapping her arms around.  
  
"No." Daisuke sighed, his heart always melted at that look. "It's just that I figure we'll be alone tonight." He sighed crestfallen.  
  
"I'll make it up to you." She smiled running her fingers through his spiky mahogany hair. "I promise." She smiled.  
  
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
It took some time to read Daisuke's eyes, they were new to her and she was still trying to get accustomed to them, but with the addition of his devilish smile she had a gut feeling that he had a dirty thought in his mind. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" Hikari said playfully hitting him.  
  
"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Call it women's intuition."  
  
"Yeah. Too bad there are no women around." Daisuke mocked. "Ouch." He replied, after Hikari playfully hit him a little harder then she would have liked. Daisuke would have retaliated but something dire was happening. "Umm...Kari I think something's burning."  
  
"Oh...my cake." She exclaimed rushing to the stove.  
  
'Save by the bell.' He thought, giving a sigh of relief. "I'll go answer the door." Daisuke smiled quickly leaving the kitchen. He frolicked towards the door and opened it. "Hey Chastity. Com'on in." He smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Chastity smiled. "I brought some non-alcoholic wine." Chastity smiled giving the bottle to Daisuke. "Is T.K. here?" She asked with a hint of hope in her voice.  
  
"No." Daisuke answered cordially. "He should be here any moment."  
  
"Oh." Chastity sighed. "Where's Kari?"  
  
"In the kitchen." Daisuke pointed. "I wouldn't go there if I were you she just burned her cake." He warned.  
  
"I'll go see if I could do anything to help Kari." Chastity said entering the kitchen. The smell of brunt cake lingered in the air as she entered. "Hey Kari, Davis told me that your cake was burnt. Is it salvageable?" She asked.  
  
"Not unless you like charcoal." She sighed dumping the cake into the garbage can. "I guess we could go out for ice-cream or something after dinner." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I think that's a good idea." Chastity sighed. "We're having wonderful weather tonight." She pointed out.  
  
"Yeah we won't mention the burnt cake." Hikari sighed.  
  
"What cake?" She smiled, pretending that nothing had happened. They shared a moment of laughter with each other. 'She's not as bad as I thought she'll be.' Hikari sighed. "Umm...Chastity?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll like to thank you for coming over."  
  
"Don't worry about it." Chastity smiled. "I wanted to come."  
  
"Yeah. Well I know that you like another guy." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I do?" Chastity gasped, not understanding what she was talking about.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "T.K. told me that you like another guy."  
  
"He did?"  
  
"Look, regardless for your feelings for T.K. and this guy, I want you to give him a fair chance, okay?" Hikari pleaded.  
  
"This really means a lot to you doesn't it?" Chastity asked.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed. "T.K. has been depressed and lonesome lately and I want to see him happy, if only for a night." Hikari smiled, trying to hide the fact that her feelings for him were still uncertain. 'I have to let T.K. explore his heart.' She thought taking Sora's advice to heart.  
  
"Okay I will." Chastity sighed, still with a little confusion. She sensed that Hikari was hiding something. 'I wonder if she has feelings for T.K.?' She thought. "Umm...Kari why aren't you going out with T.K. half the school thinks you'll make a good couple." She pointed out.  
  
"Really?" She gasped with surprise.  
  
"You sound surprised."  
  
"I am." She sighed. A day ago she would have laughed that suggestion off, but now she wasn't sure.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Hikari stopped what she was doing and carefully thought of her answer. "Because I'm not the one T.K. likes." She sighed, being careful not to let her emotions get a hold of her.  
  
"But do you like him?"  
  
That question hit Hikari to the heart; she had been debating that very question since last night. "Umm..." She stalled. 'Please God don't make me answer that question.' She prayed and fortunately God was listening. "Oh, look the doorbell." She sighed with relief. "Come let's go and meet T.K." She smiled forcing Chastity out of the kitchen. 'Save by the bell.' She sighed walking out.  
  
"Hey Davis." Takeru greeted.  
  
"Hey T.K." Daisuke replied not particularly thrilled that he was there.  
  
The flaxen hair boy entered the house. "Hey Kari, I brought some dessert." Takeru smiled handing over the box to her.  
  
"T.K. I thought I told you not to bring anything." Hikari smiled with a hint of admonishment in her voice.  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. "But knowing you, you've probably burnt your dessert." He teased.  
  
"This time it was not my fault! Davis was distracting me!" She protested.  
  
"Sure and I'm the Queen of England." Takeru teased.  
  
"Regardless, thank you." Hikari smiled. She wanted to kiss him on the check when she remembered that she had guests. "What is it?" She asked trying to peek through the box.  
  
"It's a chocolate cake with white chocolate frosting." He smiled.  
  
"My favourite." She smiled. "Thanks." Their private discussion was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. Hikari turned around and saw Chastity smiling elegantly. "Oh, T.K. your date, I think you know..."  
  
"Chastity." He gasped.  
  
"Surprised?" She smiled.  
  
"Yeah." He gasped still flabbergasted.  
  
"Complement her." Hikari whispered through her teeth elbowing him in the rib simultaneously.  
  
"Uh...Where you has her infectious charm, grace and splendour, Aphrodite has only her empty pulchritude." He elegantly replied seeing Chastity blush at the complement.  
  
"PUL-kruh...what?" Daisuke asked, his voice interrupted the quixotically moment.  
  
They darted at Daisuke and sighed. "Beauty." The three replied in unison with a hint of frustration.  
  
"Sorry." He sighed. "Some of us didn't graduate in the top four you know." He pouted the statement towards the seconds and fourth placed students.  
  
"Davis! Don't feel that way." Hikari smiled rushing towards him trying to console him.  
  
"I think you hurt his feelings." Chastity whispered.  
  
"I didn't mean to." Takeru sighed still watching Hikari. He turned to his date and smiled at her. "You really do look beautiful." He complemented looking into her royal blue eyes.  
  
Chastity checks slightly blushed flabbergasted at what to do except to look into his eyes. Their intimate moment was interrupted by the sound of the oven bell. "Dinners ready!" Hikari announced rushing towards the kitchen.  
  
"Shall we?" Chastity asked.  
  
"After you." Takeru smiled escorting her to her seat pulling her chair out. 'What have I gotten into?' Takeru sighed. 'How am I going to dig out of this sizeable hole that I'm in.' He thought of an answer to no avail. 'Why did Kari have to pick her out of all the women in the world? No that's not fair to Chastity.' It was then that he made the conscious decision to be cordial and considerate to his date. 'Matt is right, sooner or later I have to get over Kari.' He sighed letting that thought echoed in his mind.  
  
Being true to his word, he was. Chastity and Takeru shared amusing stories, anecdotes, and enjoyed each other's company. He did however, took a furtive look at Hikari now and then when she, Davis, and his date wasn't looking. He was however, unsuccessfully fooling the third person in the party.  
  
With the first stolen glance she dismissed it, with the second she forgave, by the fifth glance she started to be concerned and by the eighth glance she knew that he liked her. 'So the rumours are true.' Chastity sighed the thought pained her. From the beginning of the date she was trying to figure out what was going on. 'Why would T.K. say he likes me when he obviously likes Kari? Why would he lie to Kari and say that I have a boyfriend when I don't? What is going on here?' She thought subconsciously.  
  
It was unanimously agreed upon that they would take a short constitution in the park to allow dinner to set before they have their relatively heavy dessert. The quartet showed how young lovers embraced the idea of the nightly flaneur of the disinterested and the romantically inclined wanderers in the industrious city. Takeru and Chastity took the lead while Daisuke and Hikari took up the rear about a yard away.  
  
Chastity had hoped that the clear night air would make Takeru forget about his feelings for Hikari, like it would somehow magically flutter away in the slight zephyr that zigzagged through the dimly lit park. It didn't, but then again she wasn't surprised. After the second furtive look she decided to say something. "What am I doing here?" She asked with a hint of frustration in her voice.  
  
"What do you mean?" Takeru asked innocently. "We're taking a stroll in the park." He thought the answer was self-evident.  
  
"No." Chastity sighed. "What am I doing here? It's obvious that you want to be here with Kari." She sighed.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Takeru sighed innocently looking down on the sidewalk.  
  
"I thought this was too good to be true." She mumbled under her breath.  
  
"Pardon?" He asked.  
  
"Never mind." Chastity sighed watching Takeru stealing another glimpse of Hikari and Daisuke laughing together. "Why don't you tell her?" She sighed rubbing her shoulders.  
  
"Tell her what?"  
  
"That you like her." Chastity sighed. Takeru was about to open his mouth, probably to deny her accusations when she decided to beat him to the chase. "Don't try to deny it. I know that look in your eyes." She pointed out.  
  
"What look?"  
  
"Being in love with someone who's in love with someone else, the look of unrequited love." Chastity voice cracked, she was crying inside. "It's a look that I know all too well." Her voice had a hint of melancholy.  
  
That last statement caught Takeru's attention. "What makes you so sure that you're right?" He asked with a hint of defensiveness in his voice.  
  
"Because I'm attracted to someone whose attracted to someone else." She confessed looking into his blue eyes. She has finally had his full attention.  
  
Takeru could see her blue eyes watering; she was obviously holding back her tears. He had a bad feeling that he knew who she was talking about. "Who?" He asked regardless.  
  
Chastity bit her lower lip debating whether she should tell him. "You." She said above a whisper. She saw Takeru eyes blazed up when he heard the news. "Please say something." Her voice cracked.  
  
"I didn't know." He gasped taking his coat off draping it over her shoulders, finally noticing that Chastity was feeling cold. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"The same reason why you won't tell Kari your feelings."  
  
Takeru felt bad that Chastity was feeling the same way he was. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I never knew you felt that way towards me."  
  
"That's okay." Chastity sighed. "It's not your fault for not liking me."  
  
"Still I hate to know that someone else is feeling the same way I am because of me." He sighed.  
  
"Well at least I'll be in good company." Chastity smiled reaching for Takeru's hand for reassurance; surprisingly he didn't resist.  
  
"I'm not sure that I should be that company." Takeru sighed. "Will you feel comfortable being with someone that put you in this melancholy mood?" He asked thinking that she was talking about him.  
  
"Perhaps, but that's not what I meant." Chastity smiled. "The company I was speaking of are the other girls at school who has their hearts broken by Takeru Takaishi." She smiled.  
  
"Other girls?" Takeru asked.  
  
"You really don't know do you?" She asked. "I guess that's one of the many reasons that makes you so desirable." She smiled to herself.  
  
"What...what are you talking about?"  
  
"T.K. most of the girls at school has a major crush on you."  
  
"No. That can't be true." Takeru blushed. "I would have known."  
  
"You'll be surprised how oblivious you can be and how well hidden we women could hide our feelings." Chastity smiled putting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"If this is true, why haven't any of these girls shown any signs that they like me?" Takeru pointed out, thinking about the throngs of women that chased after his brother.  
  
"Because they know that you are emotionally unavailable." Chastity said turning her head.  
  
Takeru followed her gaze and blushed. "Oh, I am that obvious?"  
  
"Yeah to everyone, but them." Chastity smiled. "So why don't you tell her your feelings?"  
  
"I don't want to put her through the pain of choosing." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Or you're scared that she'll chose Davis over you." Chastity completed his thought with a smile.  
  
"That too." Takeru started chuckling. "We're pathetic aren't we?"  
  
"Yeah." Chastity joined Takeru in their laughter.  
  
Meanwhile, down the path, Hikari looked at the laughing couple and produced a small smile, but inside she was hurting. "It looks like they're getting along." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah, it looks like they're having fun." Daisuke sighed. "You're quite the matchmaker." He smiled. Secretly he was glad that Takeru was with someone else, besides Hikari; everything in the world seemed right for him.  
  
"Oh it's wasn't that hard." Hikari sighed.  
  
"You don't give yourself enough credit."  
  
"I think you're giving me too much." Hikari sighed. "I mean T.K. told me who he liked all I did was set them up and give them a slight push. I just hope that everything goes all right and that he'll be happy with her." She smiled.  
  
"Why wouldn't he?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"Well T.K. told me that Chastity likes another boy besides T.K." Hikari pointed out. "I just hope that she see how special T.K. is." She sighed.  
  
"Me too." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Really?" She was shocked to hear that form Daisuke.  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke sighed. "He's your best friend and I guess you want to see happy with someone else like you are with me." He smiled.  
  
"Who said I happy with you?" Hikari teased.  
  
"Well aren't you?" He sounded a little hurt.  
  
"Yeah." She smiled reaching for Daisuke's hand. "I like to thank you for being so understanding about tonight." She smiled. "Not many guys would understand." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Well I guess I'm that kind of guy." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"That you are." Hikari smiled. Their conversation was interrupted once again with Takeru and Chastity laughing.  
  
"Sounds like they're getting along."  
  
"Yeah." Hikari smiled. 'He really does like her.' She thought. 'He's made his decision and I've made mine.' She thought squeezing Daisuke's hand tighter. "You know what, let's stop talking about T.K. and talk about us." She suggested.  
  
"That's a good idea." Daisuke smiled surprised to hear that she suggested that.  
  
A few paces ahead of them Takeru and Chastity walked with more ease, somehow the truth always made a difficult situation easier. "Could I ask you something?" Chastity asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why does Kari think I like someone else?"  
  
Takeru blushed at the question. "Chastity you have to understand, I wanted to tell Kari my feelings, but like an idiot I spoke of her in the third person. Assuming that she would know that I was talking about her, but she never entertain that thought."  
  
"I see." She sighed. "You told her that you liked a girl who liked someone else and she thought that you were talking about me." Chastity concluded. "My next question is: how?"  
  
Takeru smiled again. "I told her." He replied above a voice.  
  
"You what?" She gasped.  
  
"I told her." He reiterated louder.  
  
"Why me?" Chastity asked.  
  
"Your name was the first one that crossed my mind." Takeru smiled. "It's just that when everyone in my life assumed that the girl in-questioned is Kari I get frustrated." Takeru sighed.  
  
"But the assumptions are true isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, but it makes me feel like an idiot, when everyone knows how I feel even before I realize it." Takeru sighed with frustration. He looked into Chastity's blue eyes and felt bad for getting her involved with his private life. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."  
  
"Don't be." Chastity sighed. "At least I finally told you how I feel and gotten a date with you out of this ordeal." She smiled. "It's more then I ever expected."  
  
Takeru stopped and looked into her eyes. "I hope the next guy you like sees how truly special and beautiful you really are." He smiled. "Someone who deserves you and your attention, certainly someone more than I." He pointed out.  
  
"Until then, I'll still be longing after you." She smiled brushing his flaxen sideburns over his ear. Takeru jumped back by the sudden gesture. "I'm sorry, I'd embarrassed you." She quickly continued her stroll.  
  
"Chastity." Takeru said catching up. "I wasn't embarrassed, just surprised." He sighed. "I like us to be friends, nothing more, that is until my feelings for Kari have been resolved." He pointed out.  
  
"I understand." Chastity said a little crestfallen. "Listen T.K. I have a proposition for you." She sighed.  
  
"I'm listening." The statement reached the zenith of his curiosity.  
  
"I'm willing to play the role of your girlfriend to make Kari jealous so she realize how important you are in her life. She obviously has some feelings for you." She said all in one breath.  
  
Takeru was shocked to hear that proposal came out of her mouth. "Why would you offer that?"  
  
"Because I love you enough to give you away."  
  
Takeru's icy blues darted to his companion. "I'm flattered really," He answered, his voice above a whisper. "But my answer would have to be no." He sombrely replied.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well firstly, I'll be using you..."  
  
"We'll be using each other." She quickly interjected.  
  
Takeru took a deep breath before proceeding. "Regardless, I'm not accustomed in using people for my selfish wants." Takeru pointed out. "Secondly, this could end in two different ways, all of them badly." He sighed. "Either Kari will take me as her beau and I'll be force to break up with you, or she wouldn't and we'll have to break it off. In any case, we'll start resenting and hate each other because of this pretence and I don't want that to happen."  
  
"I'm willing to risk it." Chastity interrupted.  
  
"I'm not. Despite our feelings for each other I still want us to be friends." Takeru sighed. "Besides, I don't want to win Kari's heart through scheming, plotting, or masterminding into her graces. I couldn't live with myself if I did." Takeru sighed. "I want to win it honestly, virtuously and justly." He pointed out.  
  
"Such a noble heart." She sighed. "You know you stand a good chance in losing her." She pointed out.  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. "And I'm willing to take that chance."  
  
"I hope Kari sees how truly special you really are." She smiled. "To see how much you love her. I hope that she would be deserving of you." Chastity pointed out. "I want you to be happy T.K. you deserve it." She smiled, instinctively combing his hair with her fingers, this time she was glad that he didn't flinch at her advances. "I better be going home." She whispered.  
  
"What about dessert?"  
  
"I'm not particularly hungry."  
  
"All right, I'll make an excuse and tell Kari that we won't be joining them for dessert." Takeru pointed out.  
  
"You don't have to."  
  
"I want to." Takeru smiled. "Besides until the end of the night I'm your date and I'll act like it until it ends." He pointed out.  
  
Chastity smiled. "I just don't want to pull you away from dessert."  
  
"You kidding?" Takeru sighed. "Kari may like white chocolate, but I think it's a poor imitation of the real thing, and besides you're not leaving me with those love birds do you?" He replied sarcastically. "The last thing I want is to be the third wheel to that. Please I beg of you, let me walk you home. Spare me from this torture." He jested.  
  
"Okay." Chastity smiled unable to contain her laughter. "No one deserves a fate like that, least of all a boy who broke my heart." She beamed.  
  
"Great, my saviour." Takeru smiled. "I'll go tell Kari."  
  
She leaned against a nearby tree watching her first love walked towards his first love and her lover. "What a tangle web we weave..." She sighed to herself, thinking about the situation that they were in. Chastity watched as Takeru hugged Hikari good-bye and shook hands with Daisuke. 'I wonder what excuse he gave?' She thought seeing him walking back towards her.  
  
"Ready?" He flashed his pearly whites at her.  
  
"Yeah." She gave a coy smile. "What did you tell Kari?"  
  
"Nothing much." Takeru sighed. "I thanked her for the both of us for setting us up, told her that we had fun, but we would rather continue our stroll then going back for dessert." He sighed. "I hope that I wasn't being too forward by speaking on your behalf." Takeru sighed.  
  
"No, you weren't." Chastity smiled. "I'm sorry for making you miss dessert."  
  
"I told you that I don't like the taste of white chocolate." Takeru smiled, he saw uncertainty in her eyes. "Tell you what, let's go get some ice-cream to ease your guilty conscious." Takeru smiled offering.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"My treat." He smiled.  
  
"Okay."  
  
They headed to the nearest ice-cream parlour, where they split a large sundae and a tall chocolate shake with two straws. Chastity enjoyed the company and talked with him for about an hour before leaving the café. However, she knew that all good things must irrevocably come to an end and soon they were in front of her house.  
  
"Thanks for walking me home." Chastity smiled leaning against the door.  
  
"No problem." He smiled. "I really had a good time."  
  
"Me too." Chastity replied. "Here's your jacket." She smiled taking off the light windbreaker off her shoulders. She saw him gently take his coat and stood there staring at her. The silence added to the uncomfortably and of the moment. "So, I guess this is good night." She sheepishly replied.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed and started to leave.  
  
"Hey T.K." Chastity announced before entering her house. Takeru turned back and walked towards her. "If you ever get emotionally available, please give me a call. I'll be waiting, but I can't promise that I'll be available." She replied with a hint of sadness in her voice.  
  
Takeru sighed and held her cheek. "Nor should you be. I don't expect you to wait for me." He smiled.  
  
Chastity held his hand and leaned forward for a good night kiss. Takeru seeing what was going on position his head in such a way telling her that her advances were unwanted. "I'm sorry." She said searching her purse for her house key.  
  
"No, don't be." Takeru quickly added stopping her in her flight. "It's just that I always picture my first grown up kiss with Kari." He explained.  
  
"I understand." Chastity gave a supporting smile. "Just like I always picture you giving me my first kiss." She said slowly lifting her head to see his equally supporting smile from her date.  
  
Takeru felt her pain; he knew it all too well. He leaned in and gave a gentle, long, kiss on her check. Afterward he stared into her eyes seeing that she was elated by the gesture. "I'm sorry, that's all I can give given my circumstances." He whispered.  
  
Chastity held the spot where he kissed her and blushed slightly. "It's more then I expected." She blushed further.  
  
"Good night." Takeru smiled watching Chastity enter her house. The door closed and she was safe within. He started to walk home when he heard a scream of excitement and jubilation - it was Chastity. "Girls." Takeru mumbled under his breath with a smile and headed home.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Daisuke couldn't believe what was happening. He was alone with Hikari in her dimly lit house, snuggled on the chesterfield watching a movie that they decided to watch while having dessert. His heart was doing somersaults because earlier he tried the classic guy manoeuvre of a fraudulent yawn while stretching his arm making it seemingly land over her shoulder by accident. To his surprise Hikari didn't object and leaned into his chest.  
  
"Want more cake?" He heard his infatuation ask.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Do you want more cake?" Hikari asked.  
  
"No, thank you." Daisuke replied.  
  
Hikari was surprise at the response. She bolted from the embrace and looked at him with a smile. "Am I hearing correctly? Daisuke Motomiya doesn't want seconds with dessert?" She teased.  
  
"Well to tell you the truth, I'm not a big fan of white chocolate." He sheepishly replied. The last thing he wanted to do was to get in an argument with Hikari. She chuckled at his response and returned to her position. "What so funny?"  
  
"Nothing." Hikari sighed. "It's just that all the men in my life hates white chocolate. First my father, then Tai, T.K., and now you." She replied unconcernedly.  
  
"I could learn to love it." Daisuke suggested.  
  
"No." Hikari turned looking into his deep earthy eyes with a smile. "It wouldn't seem right if my boyfriend would like it." Hikari grinned.  
  
"Boyfriend?"  
  
Hikari blushed with embarrassment for letting that word slip out. "I'm trying the title on you, seeing if it fits." Hikari sheepishly covered, pretending to pick some lint off his shirt.  
  
"And how does it fit?" He asked with a smile.  
  
"I think I like it."  
  
"So you'll be my girlfriend?" Daisuke asked with hope.  
  
"Let's give it a couple more dates." Hikari smiled.  
  
"All right." Daisuke sighed unfazed. "How about we have a picnic lunch tomorrow in the Digital World when we have our reunion." He asked.  
  
Hikari got up with surprise and looked at her date. "Don't you think this marathon dating style will make me boring to you?" Hikari observed that they have seen each other for three nights in a row.  
  
"Never." Daisuke smiled. "I love you Kari, and I want to spend everyday of my life with you." He blushed. "So lunch tomorrow in the Digital World? I'll promise to make you my infamous instant noodles." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"How can I resist such an offer?" She smiled back. With that she heard the rustling of keys being fit into a lock. She grabbed Daisuke's arm to look at the time and knew that her brother was behind the door. "Sit up." She whispered to her date.  
  
"What?" Daisuke confusingly asked.  
  
It was too late, the door parted open. "What the...?" Taichi asked flipping on the lights. His eyes darted towards the duo on the chesterfield. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything." Taichi surveyed the two guilty children on the chesterfield. "Davis what are you doing here? Kari isn't it a little late for your date to be him?" He asked.  
  
"I...I...was just leaving." Daisuke replied quickly dashing towards the door. He saw that overprotective look in Taichi before and he didn't want to be in the wake of his wrath.  
  
"I'll walk you out." Hikari replied chasing after him. "Tai heel!" She ordered before leaving the apartment. In the cool hallway she managed to stop Daisuke from getting away from her. "I'm sorry about Tai."  
  
"It's understandable."  
  
Hikari smiled giving Daisuke a hug. "I had fun tonight. Thanks for coming over." She smiled releasing the hug and looked into his eyes, they still were holding each other in an embrace.  
  
"Me too." Daisuke smiled leaning towards Hikari for a kiss.  
  
'I was expecting this all night.' She thought. 'And he does deserve it, he's been a perfect gentleman especially with the double date with T.K. and Chastity.' Hikari thought. 'Just don't think of T.K. when you kiss him this time.' She thought closing her eyes and leaning forward for the inevitable.  
  
Her quivering, nervous lips encountered his strong, steady lips. The impact sent a rapture of burning ecstasy cascading through her soul. His lower lip massaged Hikari's once, twice, and thrice as she did the same for him. She felt like floating, then soaring and then her knees gave way.  
  
"Whoa. You okay?" Daisuke asked supporting Hikari when her knees buckled.  
  
Hikari opened her eyes and panted. "Yeah." She puffed; the kiss took her breath away, literally. "That was some kiss." She gasped gently for air.  
  
"I'll take that as a complement." Daisuke smiled, running his fingers through her silky, brown hair. "I'll see you tomorrow in the Digital World." He smiled leaving.  
  
She watched intently as Daisuke walked towards the elevator that seemed to magically open as he approached. "Good night." She whispered and in return he waved his hand like he heard. The metal doors slid closed and so was he.  
  
Hikari quickly opened the door and leaned against it closing her eyes, trying to remember each sensual second of the kiss. She was in her private universe of bliss. That is, until she felt a pair of eyes staring at her, watching her. She opened her eyes and saw her brother standing, watching, and tapping his foot with his arms crossed around his chest.  
  
"Care to explain yourself?" He said with his overprotective voice, Hikari knew that he was angry. Their earlier agreement for Taichi leaving Hikari alone was that she was not to be alone with Daisuke in the house, which unfortunately slipped her mind when Takeru and Chastity decided not to come back for dessert.  
  
"I'm sorry Tai." Hikari sighed. "Not that it's any of your business, it was rather innocent. The four of us had dinner, went for a walk, T.K. and Chastity decided to continue with their walk instead of returning, so Davis and I came home and watched a movie and had dessert. All we did was talk and cuddled." Hikari sighed. "Nothing happened." Hikari smiled.  
  
"There's dessert?"  
  
Hikari chuckled to herself thinking that through her apology and explanation all Tai got out of it was dessert. "Yeah." She smiled. "Chocolate cake, Takeru brought it over tonight."  
  
"Burned another cake did you?" Taichi smiled rushing towards the kitchen.  
  
"It has white chocolate frosting." She warned.  
  
"Oh." Taichi sounded crestfallen as he stopped in his track.  
  
Hikari chuckled to herself again remembering what she told Daisuke about white chocolate and the men in her life. "Am I forgiven?" She asked.  
  
"For the cake or the fact that you were all alone in this house with Davis?" He sarcastically asked.  
  
"Tai, it's late, please don't be facetious with me."  
  
"Fa...what?"  
  
"Tai." Hikari sternly replied. "Am I forgiven?"  
  
"Yes, you're forgiven on both accounts." Taichi sighed. "By the way, what did you and Davis do in the hallway just now?" He asked.  
  
"Oh my." Hikari gasped. "Look at the time, it's getting late. We've better turn in now we have a date in the Digital World tomorrow morning." She added quickly. "Good night Tai." She smiled rushing towards her brother giving a kiss on the cheek and dashed to her room.  
  
"Hey you didn't answer my question!" He yelled after her.  
  
Hikari popped her head from her door and smiled. "I know." She smiled closing the door. She happily skipped towards her bed and gracefully twirled herself unto her bed reliving the most memorable kiss she ever had, well technically the only grown kiss she ever had. She looked at her book bag and took out her leather bound book and pen and started writing...  
  
'Dear Dairy: Addendum,  
  
I GOT KISSED TONIGHT! And by Davis of all people! It was amazing it! My soul went soaring and was on fire...my knees even went weak during the kiss. It was so awesome! I'm so excited and overwhelmed with feelings that I don't know where to start, but the beginning seems like a good place.  
  
Since I last wrote, I had the conversation with Sora. We arranged flowers talking about my so-called love life. In short, she told me to follow my heart, to explore my feelings for T.K. and Davis, and to allow T.K. to explore his feelings for Chastity.  
  
It must have been fate when I bumped into Chastity right after my conversation with Sora. I invited her over for a double date with Davis and me. Shortly later I called T.K. and he agreed, albeit reluctantly to come over for a blind, double date.  
  
Dinner went great and yes I did burn another cake, but T.K. saved the evening when he brought over a chocolate cake with white chocolate frosting, my favourite. That notwithstanding, seeing T.K. and Chastity together made me realize that he really does like her, Chastity liking him back is a different story. I hope she does.  
  
So I consciously made a decision to let T.K. go and concentrate all my strengths into exploring my feelings for Davis. I'm glad I did, because I think I'm falling in love with Davis. I can't wait to tell the girls about it tomorrow and Gatomon - she'll flip hearing the news. I've better get to bed, we're suppose to go to the Digital World tomorrow - until then good night.'  
  
Hikari smiled still having the sense of euphoria consuming her. She closed her diary and placed it on her desk while she got ready for bed. Hikari slowly fell asleep dreaming of him.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Takeru's dream scene is taken and loosely based on the first season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Piedmon's Last Jest". [3] Nancy line: "It is better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all" is a quote from Tennyson (In Memoriam). [4] Sora's line: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" is taking from Shakespeare (Hamlet: III, ii). [5] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	5. Canon and Prophecy.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: This is my first sojourn into the Digital World. I have avoided it like the plague in my previous chapters because; well to be quite honest when I started writing this series I haven't seen any but five episodes from both seasons. Now that I'm more acquainted with the show, I felt capable to write about it. This is my first attempt at the Digital World, so I apologize before hand if there are any discrepancies.  
  
Michael and Willis make their first debut into this story, but for the likes of me I couldn't find their last names. In order to make the story flow I gave Willis a D3.  
  
This chapter is dedicated to my devoted Takari fans that were quite upset with my last chapter. It is my hopes that Willis' prophecy will breathe a glimmer of hope for you. To my Daikari fans don't despair the prophecy is ambiguous, open and general enough for interpretation like most good prophecies. It could still end in either way. I really hate my indecisiveness and fence sitting in this matter. There are days when I sit down to write that I'd get so frustrated that I'll want all three of them to end up like Sora, Taichi, and Yamato. Then my rational side clicks in: I have one angry hoard chasing after me I don't need two.  
  
So I'm here to announce that I would make a decision within the next few chapters, to allow my Muse to work, and to allow the natural evolution of the story to flow. So I'm begging for the reader's patience and to allow me to indulge in my procrastination. Finally, I apologize for the length of this chapter, one day I'll learn to write a short chapter. Enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"What's meant to be will always find a way."  
  
- Trisha Yearwood.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: CANON AND PROPHECY.  
  
Jun Motomiya woke up with a fright. She had heard a clamour in the kitchen and thought the worse. 'Oh no, there's a burglar in the house.' She gasped quickly getting up and ran to her brother's room to grab a baseball bat.  
  
Had she be in full control of her faculties she would have noticed that her baby brother was not in his bed and deduced the obvious that it was Daisuke in the kitchen. Unfortunately, she wasn't and did the Motomiya thing, the rash one.  
  
She rushed into the kitchen with a vengeance and readied her weapon. She slowly and carefully tiptoed into the dark kitchen. It was still dark; the sun had yet to rise. She heard another clamour and headed in that direction. "All right dirt-bag freeze!" She yelled.  
  
The shadowy figure turned around and saw his aggressor. Daisuke screamed, not because he was being attacked, but because of how his sister looked like in the morning. He screamed with fright and his sister returned in kind.  
  
"Why in the world are you screaming?"  
  
"You scared the Hell out of me!" Daisuke yelled back.  
  
"I thought you were a thief!" Jun replied. "I have a right to defend myself!"  
  
"Not that!" He protested. "Your face." Daisuke pointed out. "What is that?" He asked. Jun's face was covered in an avocado green mask and curlers were in her hair.  
  
"It's a beauty mask." Jun replied.  
  
"Well I guess what they say is true." He sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder." Daisuke sighed trying to pick up the pots and pans on the floor.  
  
Jun exasperated letting the insult passed her by. "What are you doing rummaging in the kitchen in the dark?" She asked putting the baseball bat down.  
  
"I was looking for the pot that mom use to cook spaghetti in." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"In the dark?" Jun headed to the general direction to where the utensil in question was normally kept.  
  
"The light bulb burned out."  
  
"Ever think of replacing it? It'll make your life easier, but mostly it'll make our lives would more quieter." She pointed out.  
  
"Ever think of brushing your teeth in the morning?" He bantered back.  
  
It was too early in the morning for Jun to think of a clever comeback. "Here's your pot, what do you need it for?" She sighed.  
  
"None of your business." He said storming out the kitchen grabbing the box of instant noodles on his way out.  
  
"Why do I even bother?" Jun sighed, heading back into the kitchen.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Morning at Izumi household was usually quiet; today was no exception, albeit exceptional. Koushiro's parents were away for the weekend so it was the perfect place to meet before going into the Digital World.  
  
Although there were more people in his house then usual the quietness remained, the early morning had a tendency to do that. The sun was rising behind Koushiro's back highlighting his red hair and casting a long shadow on his computer screen. He got up and let the Venetians blinds down.  
  
He returned to his seat at the head of the table, to his left was Ken Ichijouji and his right was Miyako Inoue carefully observing the new computer program that he developed.  
  
Further down sat Jou Kido and Iori Hida opposite each other facing a chessboard. Jou moved a black knight forward. "Check." He said picking up his cup of coffee taking a sip, it was one of the few vices he picked up in high school and ever since then he couldn't begin his day without one.  
  
Iori studied the board intently thinking of every contingency before moving. The doorbell interrupted his thoughts. "I'll get that." He said getting up; his eyes were still fixated on the board.  
  
"No, Cody." Jou interrupted. "You sit and plan your next move. I'll get." Jou said, his cup still in his hand.  
  
"Thanks Joe." Koushiro mumbled, typing furiously on his laptop.  
  
Jou chuckled at the sight. "No problem." He smiled. "I thought we weaned you from your laptop?" He teased.  
  
"Well you know what they say: You can get the boy out of the computer, but you can't get the computer out of the boy." Koushiro smiled.  
  
"Eventually." Jou smiled opening the door. "Oh, hey Sora, long time no see." Jou greeted.  
  
"Too long." Sora hugged him. "Still hooked on coffee I see. I thought we weaned you off that."  
  
"Yeah, Well I'm practicing for when I become a real doctor." Jou smiled taking another sip. "Com'on in, almost everyone is here." He said escorting Sora into the living room.  
  
"Hey guys." Sora greeted.  
  
"Hey Sora." They mumbled incoherently. They were still fixated on what they were doing. Sora couldn't help to feel a little hurt.  
  
"Don't worry about them." Jou smiled. "The Three Stooges there are intrigued with some computer program that Izzy wrote, while Cody here is trying to figure out how to get his king out of check." Jou explained.  
  
Iori moved his white bishop taking Jou's black knight. "Check and mate." He announced, placing the black knight beside the board.  
  
"Hey where did that bishop come from?" Jou gasped scratching his head.  
  
Iori ignored him and got up from his seat. "My apologies for such a poor salutation." He said sticking out his hand. "It is good to see you again, it's been a real long time." He smiled.  
  
"Likewise." Sora smiled taking his hand.  
  
"Do you want to play a game of chess?" Iori asked.  
  
"No thanks." Sora sighed. "Why don't you play another game with Joe?"  
  
"Are you game?" Iori asked nonchalantly. Jou nodded in response rearranging the pieces accordingly.  
  
Sora watched silently feeling a tad left out while Koushiro, Miyako and Ken were still intrigued with the program and Jou and Iori bonding over chess. "So where's Tai and Matt?" Sora asked sheepishly.  
  
"They're not coming." Koushiro announced; his eyes still fixated on his computer. "They e-mailed saying that they're going to the Digital World with Kari and T.K. respectively. They'll meet us there." He explained.  
  
"We're still waiting for Davis." Ken added.  
  
"He late, as usual." Miyako added, their eyes still on the program.  
  
"Oh." Sora sighed with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She had hoped that Yamato and Taichi would have been civil enough to meet together so they could go to the Digital World together. She was lost in thought, remembering when they were all friends, it all seem like a distant memory.  
  
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her thoughts. "That must be Davis." Sora announced heading for the door.  
  
"It's about time." Miyako yelled behind her.  
  
"I heard that Yolei." Daisuke voice emanated from the door.  
  
All of a sudden the once quiet room was replaced by yelling by Miyako and Daisuke. Koushiro closed his laptop and got up. "Let Davis in, we'll use the computer in my room for the digiport." He sighed putting the laptop in his backpack.  
  
Daisuke and Sora arrived in their room moments later. "Where's Kari?" He asked looking for his love.  
  
"If you were here on time you would have known that she's going to the Digital World on her own with her brother." Miyako pointed out.  
  
"Well sorry." Daisuke apologized insincerely. "But it couldn't be helped. I was attacked by a green faced monster." He pouted.  
  
"Whatever." Miyako sighed not believing him. "Digiport Open!" She announced putting her D3 towards the computer monitor, and in a bright flash of light they disappeared.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru bolted up in bed panting heavily, his heart beating like there was no tomorrow, and his body drenched with sweat. He quickly slammed on his alarm clock and looked around his strange surroundings. 'I'm at Matt's place.' He reassured himself, he had forgotten that he slept over so they could go to the Digital World together.  
  
Takeru brushed the few strands of hair away from his eyes allowing his heart to slow down. He had the dream again; the same dream based on a distortion of a memory that took place five years ago.  
  
The nightmare felt so real, like most nightmares that for a split second he thought it happened that way. He could still remember the look in Hikari's eyes when she let go of him. He could still hear the rushing of wind that whisked past his ears as he fell.  
  
'Why am I doing this to myself?' He thought watching the sunrise from his bed. 'Is my subconscious trying to tell me something? A sign perhaps?' Takeru dismissed that thought quickly; he wasn't one to believe in premonition. He was the type of person that believed that his future has yet to be written.  
  
Takeru took a quick shower letting the nightmare ebb and trickled down the drain, along with the dirt and problems that had accumulated from the last twenty-four hours. For the first time in four mornings he was looking forward for the day to start, because today was the day that he would see Patamon again. It has been a whole year since he last saw him and in a few short moments he would see his digimon partner again.  
  
He got out of the shower and changed into a comfortable outfit for the day. His white hat would be the last thing he put on before waking up Matt. Takeru slowly crossed the prejudice hallway to wake up his brother when he heard a crash in the living room. "Matt?" He gasped quickly jumping to the worse conclusion.  
  
His heart was relived to see that it was his brother scouring around the living room. He was feverishly looking for something. "Matt what are you doing?" Takeru asked with concern.  
  
"I'm looking for my wallet." He exasperated.  
  
Takeru circumspect the room and saw the wallet on the bookshelf by the front door. "Is this it?" He asked showing a tan leather wallet to his brother.  
  
Yamato looked up. "No, that's Davis'." He sighed as he continued his search for his missing wallet. "Mines have my harmonica attached to it with a red elastic band." He sighed.  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "What are you doing with Davis' wallet?"  
  
"My stage manager found it backstage at my concert on Friday night. I assumed he dropped it when he came over to pick up Kari for their first date." Yamato explained looking under the chesterfield. "I told him that I would return it the next time I'll see him." He sighed.  
  
"I see." Takeru sighed.  
  
"So how was your date last night?"  
  
"It was okay, I had fun." Takeru sighed nonchalantly.  
  
"So whom did Kari set you up with?"  
  
"Chastity Shiozaki."  
  
Yamato stopped his search and looked at his brother leaning against the front door. "You're kidding right?"  
  
"I wish I were, but I think Kari is trying to make my love life as happy as hers." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Well that's what you get for lying." Yamato sighed.  
  
"Please don't remind me." Takeru sighed looking on the ground with sadness. In his peripheral vision he saw a chrome glow reflecting the rays of the rising sun. He turned his head and saw a black wallet with a harmonica attached to it with an elastic band. "Is this it?" He asked showing his brother his wallet.  
  
"Yeah." Yamato smiled with relief. "Where did you find it?"  
  
"On the floor by the bookshelf." Takeru sighed nonchalantly. "It must have fallen from the shelf sometime during the night."  
  
"You're kidding me that's the first place I looked." He sighed.  
  
"Why would you need a wallet? We're going to the Digital World."  
  
"I don't." Yamato sighed grabbing both wallets. "Gabumon likes it when I play my harmonica for him. I attached it to my wallet because I feel naked without my wallet." He explained. "So squirt, you ready to go to the Digital World?" He smiled.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But aren't you going to clean up the mess you made in the living room?" He asked.  
  
"Nay, you kidding? It's cleaner then it was before." Yamato sighed walking towards his father's office. Takeru looked at the living room and was reluctant to agree with him. "Coming?" Yamato asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. He followed his brother to his father's study and raised his D3 towards the monitor. "Digiport open!" He yelled as the brother disappeared in a shimmer of white light.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Hikari Kamiya woke up an hour earlier then usual to do an errand that was long overdue. She heard the trickling of water stopped in the shower knowing that her brother had just finished his shower. 'I better get this done before he comes out and tease me.' She thought hastening her pace.  
  
She quickly wrapped the box in red cellophane and colourful wrapping paper. She had searched all morning for these items, but all she found was birthday or Christmas paper something inappropriate for this present. So she was forced to stop by the local store to buy some. Hikari felt relieved that she did all that while her brother was still sleeping.  
  
Taichi came out of the bathroom seeing his sister was already up. "So that was some night last night." He sighed nonchalantly heading aimlessly towards his room. He wanted more information about his sister's date last night.  
  
"I'm still not telling you what happened in the hallway last night." Hikari sighed taping a corner of the present.  
  
Taichi sighed with frustration. "Kari it's my job as a big brother to protect you and scare the living daylights out all potential suitors." He sighed. "Besides it's fun and I like doing it." He added.  
  
"I know." Hikari smiled. "I think you may like it too much and besides it's my job as your little sister to spoil your fun." She teased.  
  
"Oh, you're incorrigible." Taichi exasperated, heading into his room to change.  
  
"I learn from the best." Hikari smiled to herself.  
  
Hikari managed to complete wrapping the present when her brother came out of his room dressed in his typical blue top and brown shorts. "Ready to go to the Digital World?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Almost." She sighed. "I just need to finish this bow and then we could leave." Hikari explained measuring the appropriate length of the ribbon.  
  
"A present?" Taichi smiled. "Who's it for? Davis?" He teased.  
  
"No." Hikari blushed. "If you must know it's for Matt."  
  
"Matt?" He gasped. "Why are you giving him a present?" A dreaded thought then consumed him. "You're not going out with Matt are you?" He gasped.  
  
"No. Don't be silly." Hikari scoffed at the idea. "I like Matt far too much for giving you any reason to kill him." She smiled looking into her brother's brown eyes, she saw that Taichi didn't see the humour in her joke and sighed. "If you must know he did me a favour a couple of nights ago and this is my way of saying thank you." She explained.  
  
"Why on Earth would you do that for?" He asked.  
  
"Tai, just because you and Matt are no longer friends doesn't mean he and I have to be enemies also." She pointed out.  
  
"Whatever." Taichi sighed storming into his room. "I'll be waiting for you in my room." He sighed.  
  
Hikari sighed looking at her brother. "I hope that there won't be another fight." She mumbled under her breath, heading into her brother's room.  
  
"It's about time." He sighed.  
  
"Tai promise me something before we go." Hikari sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Please don't pick a fight with Matt or Sora."  
  
"All right." Taichi sighed. "I'll try, but I can't promise you anything."  
  
Hikari took a deep sigh. "I guess that's good enough." She said lifting her pink D3 towards the computer monitor. "Digiport open!" She yelled as brother and sister disappeared in a shimmering white light.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Meanwhile across the Pacific through eight time zones, in the city called the Big Apple, in a small guestroom, in the Tachikawa Residence sat a young man with wild golden hair and royal blue eyes overlooking the Hudson River and enjoyed how the afternoon sun danced on the water. The water always seems to sooth him, especially when he's been troubled, like the waves could carry all his problems away.  
  
He had once heard that Nostradamus looked into a bowl of water to see visions of the future. It was no different for the bearer of the digimantle of Fate, of Destiny. Ever since his adventures with Daisuke and the others a year ago he's developed a certain empathy, an impression, of the future which only fed his lone wolf mentality. Seeing death or ominous events coming true to everyone around him, especially his friends repelled him from civilization.  
  
His family's farm just outside Colorado was a perfect place for him. It was a solitary place; a place where his nearest neighbour was five miles away by horse. He was glad that there were still places like these left in the United States in the twenty-first century.  
  
One day over the golden sea of wheat the wind danced over the field, rippling the land, bending the grains like waves in a lake. It called to him urging him to go back to New York.  
  
His unannounced arrival in New York was a surprise to the digidestined living in New York, especially to Mimi. She was about to invite him to come over so that she and Michael could go to the Digital World for their reunion; he being the only digidestined in America that could open the digiport was her only recourse. It has been a whole year since he's been back to New York - a year since his twin digimons was sent back into the Digital World - a year since he received his gift.  
  
Ever since his arrival to New York two nights ago he's been getting disturbing dreams of the destruction of the Digital World, the dream was so intense that it started to invade his waking mind. 'Why?' He prayed to any god that would listen to him. He had hoped that the Hudson River would carry away his dream. Unfortunately, it couldn't do that.  
  
"Come in Michael." He replied knowing who was behind the door, not because he could see him coming, no his gift comes and goes, but he knew Michael and Mimi. Michael was notoriously prompt while Mimi was constantly fashionable late.  
  
"Hello Willis." He greeted with a smile.  
  
"Michael." He said nonchalantly, his eyes still fixated on the river.  
  
The older boy still had his wavy, cascading blond hair and blue eyes. He felt uncomfortable with the silence and the cold greeting he received. "I'm glad we could have some time alone to talk before Mimi gets here." Michael sighed, sitting on the chair by the computer.  
  
"What do you want to talk about?" Willis asked casually, his eyes still fixated on the river. His mind was obviously somewhere else.  
  
Michael thought how he should proceed, he knew that this subject was a sensitive one especially to Willis and plus they have been getting into fights lately over this very subject. "I like to talk to you about re-joining the digidestined here in New York." He sighed.  
  
Willis quickly turned and look at him with his icy blue eyes. "You don't know what you are asking for." He said coldly returning his gaze to the river. "Trust me, it's better if I stay as far away from all of you as possible." He said ominously.  
  
The tone of his voice and the glare of his eyes sent shivers down Michael's spine. 'What happened to the carefree boy he once knew a year ago?' He thought. Once upon a time, not too long ago, Willis' eyes once supported serendipity, now it's grown dull and cold. "Willis, being a digidestined means you're apart of a team..."  
  
Willis turned to Michael again peering into his eyes. "Michael, with all due respect, please save me the rhetoric of being apart of the team is better then being alone. I heard it all before." He sighed bitterly returning his gaze to the river. "I beg you, if we must talk, let's talk about something else." He sighed.  
  
"All right." Michael sighed. "Why are you here?"  
  
"I don't understand." Willis turned looking at the older digidestined.  
  
"Showing up here, out of the blue without an invitation." Michael explained. "In the last year you've cast off all civilization and now you return. My question is: why?" He asked to satisfy his curiosity.  
  
Willis slowly returned his gaze to the Hudson River. "I was called." He replied enigmatically, the dream of the destruction of the Digital World haunted him again.  
  
"Pardon?" Michael's voice entered his psyche.  
  
Willis came out of his gaze looking at Michael; he didn't hear his question, but knew that he was confused. "I have a message to give to a friend." He sighed.  
  
"A message?" His voice confused as ever. "What sort of message?"  
  
"Ah, that's a far more interesting question that you will ever believe." He replied enigmatically.  
  
Michael was frustrated at his answer. "Willis has anyone told you that talking to you is like trying to figure out a puzzle, wrapped in an riddle, locked in a enigma, buried under a conundrum with the key and map thrown away?"  
  
Willis chuckled at the rhetorical question. Michael wasn't sure how to react to Willis' emotional outburst especially because this was the first reaction he has gave him since their conversation began. "On many occasions, but not as eloquently as you have just put it." He answered.  
  
Willis turned towards him and for the first time he saw serendipity in his eyes. 'Innocence regained.' He thought feeling relieved that this wouldn't turn into another argument.  
  
After the laughter had faded, Willis resist the temptation to look at the river. "I'm sorry Michael for being rude to you." He apologized. "You've just touch a very sensitive topic in my life and I'm not accustomed being around people." He sighed. "Trust me when I tell you that it is better for me not to rejoin." He pointed out.  
  
"As you wish." Michael sighed. "I'm sorry that I kept on pressing you on the matter." He sighed. "Mimi wouldn't ask you to rejoin because she knew how you felt about it, but as her lieutenant I thought I'll ask on her behalf." He sighed. "I was hoping for more positive results."  
  
"Perhaps in time." Willis sighed. "There are...personal demons I have to fight first before I ever consider coming back." He reassured. "But I can't promise anything."  
  
"I guess that'll have to do." Michael sighed. "We'll be here in case you change your mind, until then we'll consider you a prodigal son." He smiled extending his hand.  
  
"Okay." Willis smiled taking his hand and shook it. "Just don't expect me to call you dad." He teased.  
  
"Willis! Michael! I know you're up there!" Mimi's voice emanated from below them. "You two better not be fight...um...shaking hands?" She observed opening the door. "I'm sorry, I just thought you two would be fighting again." Mimi quickly apologized.  
  
Willis chuckled for the second time that day. "Fight? Me and Mike here? Never!" He sarcastically teased walking towards Mimi and took the shopping bags from her left hand.  
  
"Yeah Mimi, give us some credit." Michael taunted taking the rest of the shopping bags from her. "What do you have in here a ton of bricks?" He asked feeling the weight of the bags.  
  
"Just a few gifts for my friends."  
  
"A few?" Willis groaned under the weight. "It looks like you bought out Madison Avenue or something." He teased.  
  
"Don't forget Fifth Avenue, The West Side, Soho, and The Village." Michael pointed out.  
  
"All right you two." Mimi sighed. "Let's go to the Digital World." She exasperated. "I think I like you two better when you were fighting." She sighed.  
  
Willis chuckled for the third time that day and remembered how much he missed doing that. He approached the monitor and held his D3 before it. "Digiport Open!" He ordered and in a shimmering white light they disappeared.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Digitamamon rejoiced with glee when he heard the chimes of the front door opened. "Oh boy, guests!" The egg shaped digimon jumped up with glee. He rushed from the kitchen as quickly as his lizard green legs could take him. His yellow eyes dilated with excitement seeing fifteen digimons waiting to be seated. "How may I help you?" He asked with excitement.  
  
"We have reservations for lunch? Party of twenty-nine. The name is Agumon." The miniature orange dinosaur cheerfully replied.  
  
"Sorry we don't serve lunch until eleven." Digitamamon reported. "Perhaps I could interest you in breakfast? We have good eggs, bacon, toast..."  
  
"No we're not hungry." Agumon interrupted. "Could we wait inside for our friends?" He asked.  
  
"Sorry no loitering allowed."  
  
"Com'on let us through." He whined politely.  
  
"Sorry, rules are rules." Digitamamon replied walking away.  
  
"Fine we'll just go somewhere else for lunch." The dinosaur sighed. "Too bad you'll lose all that money from our service." He bluffed.  
  
The orange dinosaur watched as the giant egg digimon jumped at the remark. He quickly ran back to apologize. "All right, com'on in. Just make sure you give me a big tip." Digitamamon said letting them through.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Agumon sighed.  
  
Eleven digimons walked in while the other four flew to their seats. They took up four booths of the tiny diner and waited impatiently for their human counterparts.  
  
The once quiet diner quickly died while ambient voices of the fifteen digimons resonated throughout the tiny diner. Question of who would come first or what they would do filled the air with agitation and anticipation. It has been a whole year since they came back into the Digital World and they missed their human friends greatly.  
  
The diner bell resonated through the air as fifteen pairs of eyes watched the door intently and the quietness returned. The air was so thick with anticipation that it was suffocating.  
  
The first human treaded across the threshold of the diner. "Davis! Davis! Davis!" The blue miniature monster jumped up and down excitedly dashing towards him. He jumped into his waiting arms.  
  
"Veemon!" Daisuke greeted holding him up and twirled him around.  
  
"Yolei!" A miniature hawk with a belt bandanna with a solitary feather flew towards her yelling in an uncanny British accent.  
  
"Hawkmon!" Miyako ran towards Hawkmon. "I miss you so much." She grabbed him and gave a tight embrace.  
  
"Yolei you could stop choking me now." Hawkmon replied.  
  
"Cody!" The Southern speaking armoured mammal rushed awkwardly toward Iori with his hind-legs.  
  
"Armadillomon!" Iori yelled uncharacteristically with joy.  
  
"Ken!" The ten-legged green worm wiggled his way towards him.  
  
"Wormmon!" He rushed over picking up his fellow digimon.  
  
"Izzy! You're a sight for digieyes!" The insect digimon buzzed haphazardly towards him.  
  
"It's good to see you too Tentomon." Koushiro smiled.  
  
"Joe!" The aquatic loving digimon shouted with joy jumping towards his blue haired friend. "I miss you so much." He giggled.  
  
"I miss you too, Gomamon." Jou hoarsely answered trying to pry Gomamon off his neck. "You can let go before I pass out." He answered.  
  
"That's okay." Gomamon smiled. "You're going to be a doctor."  
  
"That won't help if I'm unconscious." He pointed out.  
  
"Oh yeah." The sea creature digimon answered letting go.  
  
"Sora! I missed you so much! I'm glad you can come!" The pink parrot digimon gracefully flew towards her human companion.  
  
She chuckled to herself. "I miss you too Biyomon."  
  
The seven digimons and humans were so entranced in their reunification that they didn't see how upset the other digimons were feeling. They were dragged to their seats by their digital partners and caught up with their gossip with each other. The other eight digimons drowned further in their depression.  
  
Sora Takenouchi was the first to notice their melancholy. "What's wrong Palmon?" She asked the flower digimon, she could have sworn to see her pink flower wilt.  
  
"Where's Mimi?" She whined on the verge of tears.  
  
"Cheer up Palmon, I'm sure she's going to come. She's probably fashionable late. I think she wants to look good for you." She pointed out.  
  
"I guess you're right." Palmon answered. "I just miss her very much."  
  
"We all do." Sora smiled reassuringly.  
  
At that, the bell fastened on the doorframe echoed throughout the room. The room went silent again as twenty-two pairs of eyes locked on the door. They all watched patiently to see two blond men crossed the threshold.  
  
"T.K.!" The flying orange mammal flew towards him. His big blue eyes excited to see his best friend.  
  
"Hey Patamon!" Takeru smiled holding Patamon. "How are you? I want to hear everything that you've been up to." He said allowing Patamon to sit on his white hat.  
  
"Matt!" The horned dragon like digimon with a fur coat clumsy wobbled towards the other blond man.  
  
"Hey Gabumon!" Yamato replied trying to act cool. "What's up?" The digimon guided Yamato towards his seat. They passed Daisuke on their way when Yamato remembered that he had something for him. "Hey Gabumon why don't you go on ahead I'll catch up to you." He sighed.  
  
"Sure Matt."  
  
"Hey Davis I have something for you." Yamato said reaching for his back pocket.  
  
"Oh what?" He asked.  
  
"My stage manager found your wallet a couple of nights ago at the warehouse." He gave the tan wallet to him. Daisuke grabbed the wallet and opened it checking if anything was missing. "The money's all there."  
  
"Thank God." He sighed with relief.  
  
"What are you doing with all that money in your wallet any ways?" Yamato asked.  
  
"Well Le Rendez-Vous is rather expensive." Daisuke blushed.  
  
"Le Rendez-Vous!" Sora gasped. Yamato and Daisuke looked at her surprised by her outburst. "I remember when you use to take me there." Sora sheepishly replied looking into his blue eyes.  
  
"Yeah." Yamato sighed. A strong wall of silence suddenly appeared between the two of them. "It's good to see you again." He said emotionlessly. All the humans in the room watched them intently ignoring their digimons to see what would happen. "It's been a long time."  
  
"Too long." Sora answered.  
  
"What's going on?" Patamon whispered to Takeru.  
  
"Later." He whispered back.  
  
The wall of silence metamorphoses into a cloud of silence suffocating them and those around them. "I've better get going." Yamato sighed, passing their table and sat in the booth behind her.  
  
"What was that about?" Gabumon asked.  
  
Yamato looked at his digimon and consider whether to tell him the whole ordeal with Sora and Taichi. He quickly debated the issue in his mind and was about to speak when the sound of bells ringing interrupted his thoughts. 'Save by the bell.' He thought turning around trying to see who was at the door.  
  
Then he walked in, his one time friend and nemesis with his sister. Agumon his digimon ran towards him giving him a hug, while Gatomon, Hikari's digimon leapt towards her with her feline like reflexes.  
  
He turned around and looked at his digimon relieved to notice that Gabumon had forgotten his question. In his peripheral vision he saw brother and sister sitting beside them on the adjacent table. Taichi quickly forced his way into the inner booth so he could place Hikari between Yamato and himself.  
  
Daisuke made his way to their booth and sat across from Hikari with a smile and a twinkle in his brown eyes. "Hey Kari." He smiled. "Ready for our date this afternoon? I brought lots of instant noodles." He smirked.  
  
"Dreading the moment." Hikari teased.  
  
"You two have another date?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Tai, do you tell me when you're going out on a date?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Yeah, Tai leave them alone." Yamato added.  
  
Taichi was about to counterattack when he saw the look on his sister's eyes and remembered his promise. "Oh Matt, I got something for you." She said reaching into her book bag and gave him a colourfully wrapped gift.  
  
"What is this for?" Yamato replied.  
  
"For singing Sora's song for us on our first date." Hikari explained.  
  
"You sang my song?" Sora gasped turning around in the booth. "I thought you don't sing that anymore." She pointed out.  
  
"That's the favour?" Taichi asked his sister. "Why didn't you tell me?" He felt bad that his sister didn't tell him.  
  
"It's no biggie Kari asked for a favour and I said yes." Yamato shrugged it off like it meant nothing to him.  
  
"Firstly, you didn't ask." Hikari replied to her brother. "Secondly, it's really none of your business." She pointed out.  
  
"Oh so it means nothing to you." Sora protested.  
  
"I can't believe you betrayed me." Taichi replied simultaneously.  
  
"I didn't mean it like that." Yamato defended.  
  
"I didn't betray you, Matt's my friend."  
  
"Then what exactly do you mean?" Sora asked with a hint of anger in her voice.  
  
"And I'm your brother." Taichi pointed out to his sister.  
  
"Umm...ugh..." Yamato thought trying to come up with a good excuse.  
  
"This is silly." Hikari sighed. "I can't believe you expect me to choose between my brother and my friend. I refuse to take sides in your petty argument." Hikari said losing her temper.  
  
"Forget it Yamato Ishida. Sing the song, don't sing the song, I don't care anymore." Sora exasperated getting up.  
  
"Fine. Be like that." Taichi exasperated getting up.  
  
Taichi and Sora got up in unison and stormed out towards the front door. They were about to exit simultaneously when they stared at each other both with anger in their eyes. In silence Taichi stormed off towards the back door via the kitchen while Sora exited by the front.  
  
The room was so silent that if a pin dropped it would pierce all those in the room. Eyes were fixated on Yamato who was trying to get his anger in control. He looked around agitated. "What?" He asked with anger. "Haven't you seen a fight before?" He bellowed. Their consistence stares got on his nerves. "Whatever. I'm outta here." He said dashing towards the door.  
  
"Hey Matt." Mimi greeted with a smile. Yamato responded with a groan and pushed her out of the way. "Hey, what's wrong with him?" Mimi asked rhetorically looking into the crowd.  
  
"Mimi!" Palmon sighed rushing towards Mimi breaking the tension in the room.  
  
"Palmon." Mimi smiled giving the flower digimon a hug; they were embraced so tightly that she got tangled in her ivy vines. "I miss you so much." She started to weep.  
  
"Me too." Palmon cried.  
  
During the tear-jerking reunion with Mimi and her digimon, Michael and his digimon, Betamon were talking in the corner of the diner, while Willis was giggling because his twin digimons, Terriermon and Lopomon were licking his face.  
  
Everyone finally arrived and everyone was happy with a few exceptions. During the festivities Agumon, Gabumon, and Biyomon exited discreetly to find out what was going on with their human companions.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Taichi Kamiya gazed upon the lake by Digitamamon's Diner and closed his eyes feeling the cool breeze coming off it. He wished the breeze would blow his problems away, yet it didn't.  
  
He felt like a jerk for arguing with his sister about the stupidest thing. 'Of course she could be Matt's friend.' He exasperated. Taichi wanted to turn back and go in to apologize, but he couldn't go back in there and face Yamato. What made him feel worse was he broke his promise to his sister. 'You really did it this time?' He thought.  
  
He heard someone approaching behind him. He shifted his eyes to one corner and saw an orange digimon coming his way. "Hey Agumon." He greeted the dinosaur.  
  
"Hi Tai." Agumon greeted sitting beside him. The digimon examined his partner and noticed that he seems taller and his hair was less wild in his old age. In the five years since the digimon had known him, this was the first time he didn't know what to say. "Tai what happened?"  
  
"It's nothing Agumon." Taichi sighed. "Sometimes brothers and sisters fight."  
  
"No not that?" Agumon sighed. "Why are you mad a Matt? I thought you two are friends?" He pointed out.  
  
Taichi noted how observant his digimon has grown over the years. "Oh, that." Taichi sighed. "It's a long and complicated story."  
  
"That's okay, take your time." Agumon sighed. "We have the whole day together." He pointed out.  
  
He knew the orange digimon could be stubborn or relentless as he so he caved in. "All right." Taichi sighed; he didn't know where to begin. It was such a long and damming story. "Do you know what love is?" He sighed.  
  
"Sure I do." The orange digimon answered. "You taught me all about it." Agumon replied. "I love you." He said giving his human companion a hug.  
  
Taichi chuckled to himself. "I love you too Agumon." He said holding his friend. "But that's not what I meant." He sighed.  
  
"Then what do you mean?"  
  
"What I mean is...romantic love."  
  
"What's the difference?"  
  
Taichi looked at the digimon and exasperated secretly to himself. It was more difficult then he thought it would be to explain his situation to his digimon. He felt like he was explaining the definition of love to a five-year-old, something he doesn't know exactly himself. "You see Agumon, there are many different types of love." He sighed. "There's the love that friends have each other."  
  
"Like us."  
  
"Yeah, like us. Then there's love that a father and a mother have and that's romantic love." Taichi explained not entirely believe the definition himself. "Do you understand?" He asked.  
  
"Not really." Agumon scratched his head.  
  
"That's okay." Taichi sighed. "I don't understand it entirely either." He paused. "You see Agumon, I have romantic feelings for Sora." He sighed.  
  
"That's good! Congratulations!" The orange dinosaur jumped with glee wanting to dance. Agumon was so caught up with excitement that he didn't notice that Taichi wasn't joining him in his festivities. "What's wrong? Why aren't you happy?" The orange dinosaur asked with some confusion.  
  
"There's more." He sighed. "Matt also loves Sora romantically."  
  
The orange dinosaur sat back down beside his friend. "Is that a problem?" He asked with some confusion.  
  
"Yeah." Taichi sighed. "Sit back this'll be a long story." Taichi said reclining on the soft, green grass. The orange dinosaur digimon did the same.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So you and Tai love Sora." Gabumon sighed listening to Yamato's playing on his harmonica. It was easy for the digimon to find Yamato all he did was follow the sound of his harmonica and in no time he found him sitting on a small hill overlooking the pond. "So you're mad with Sora and Tai because she choose him over you." The tiny dragon digimon replied trying to find a reason why his friend now hates both Taichi and Sora.  
  
"No, she's chosen none of us." Yamato responded quickly and then returned to play the blues on his harmonica.  
  
Gabumon listened to the sad song emanating from the instrument. "So are you saying Sora didn't love you or Tai back and that's why you're angry with them." He tried another theory.  
  
Yamato stopped playing to answer him. "No, she loved both of us." He exasperated returning to his harmonica.  
  
The little blue dragon digimon thought the paradoxical matter through. "Matt, there's something I don't understand." He sighed. "Why can't Sora love two people at the same time?" He asked. "I mean I love both you and T.K." He pointed out.  
  
Yamato listened to Gabumon and continued to play for a few more minutes before responding. "It's different with romantic love." He sighed returning to his music.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It's just it!" Yamato exasperated. He looked into his at Gabumon's eyes and saw the innocence in them. 'You jerk all he wanted to know was why you're feeling so bad and you go and yell at him.' He sighed feeling guilty for yelling at him. "I'm sorry." He sighed.  
  
"That's okay." He accepted his apology. "I know how hard it is for you to talk about your feelings." The dragon digimon sighed.  
  
"Still I shouldn't have yelled."  
  
"Maybe you could give me an example of why Sora can't love two people at the same time?" Gabumon asked.  
  
Yamato picked up his harmonica trying to honour his digimon's request. He played for a few minutes racking his mind for something - anything. In his peripheral vision he saw Gabumon watching him anticipating an answer. He pulled the harmonica from his mouth and gave the first example that crossed his mind. "Well it's like saying you have two human companions and you have to choose which one you like more." Yamato sighed with exasperation; he wished he could have found a better example.  
  
"You mean if there was another Matt in my life?"  
  
"Yeah." Yamato sighed. "Let's just say that there were two Matts that is your partner, we look alike and act the same and one day we asked you to choice which one of us you liked better." He sighed. "Which one would you choice?" He asked.  
  
He watched the digimon think. It was the same sort of look Sora had when they asked her to choose whom she loved more. "I don't know if I could decided." Gabumon finally answered.  
  
"Nether could Sora." Yamato sighed.  
  
"So Sora choose neither of you." Gabumon facilitated.  
  
"Yeah, she wanted to be friends, but Tai blamed me for forcing Sora to come to that decision. We started to fight and slowly all three of us drifted apart...I just wish I could have served a better example for T.K." Yamato sighed.  
  
"T.K. loves Sora too?" Gabumon asked.  
  
Yamato chuckled to himself at the ignorance of his digimon. "No he likes Kari, but he's too scared to tell her because Davis likes her too and he doesn't want to put Kari in the same position as Sora because..."  
  
"Because what happened to you three might happen to them." Gabumon answered.  
  
"Yeah." Yamato sighed.  
  
"You humans and your love, sometimes I don't understand why you make everything so hard." Gabumon sighed.  
  
"I think we like it that way." Yamato sighed.  
  
"So why does love makes normal people act so funny?" The miniature dragon digimon asked.  
  
Yamato chucked to himself. "We have a saying in my world: There is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." He sighed, seeing his digimon was still confused. He then thought further explanation was needed. "Gabumon love does funny things to people, normal, rational people would do stupid things when they're in love. It's quite the common denominator." He sighed looking at his digimon. "So tell me Gabumon how do digimon fall in love?" He asked out of curiosity. He watched his digimon think intently waiting patiently for him to answer.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"So they both liked you?" Biyomon asked. The pink bird digimon was glad that she could fly; she spotted Sora's reddish-brown hair quickly and landed on the branch next to her.  
  
"Yeah." Sora sighed. "At first I was flattered by all the attention." She confessed. "Tai would ask me out on Friday, then Matt for Saturday, and Tai again for Sunday. It was all too crazy." She sighed. "I was booked up with dates for months." Sora sighed. "They'll do stupid and crazy things to get my attention. It was all too good to last."  
  
"So it was then that they forced you to choose between them." Biomon sighed.  
  
"Yeah. It was inevitable. I knew I had to make a choice, but I wasn't ready." She chuckled to herself. "I thought they'll be okay about us dating casually without making any commitments, but..."  
  
"They wanted you to choose."  
  
"Yeah." Sora sighed. "It was more like an ultimatum, but nevertheless it was still hard for me." She sighed. "I loved them both very much."  
  
"So how did you decided?"  
  
"I asked myself who I loved more."  
  
"And who do you love more?"  
  
"That's a very interesting question." Sora sighed. "I love both men for entirely different reasons and I couldn't choose between them. I didn't want to hurt either of them for choosing one over the other. So to answer their ultimatums I told them I rather be their friends then to be in a romantic relationship with either of them." Sora sighed.  
  
"So how did they react to your answer?"  
  
"At first they were okay with it, but that too was too good to be true." Sora sighed. "When the three of us were together they were okay, but it's when I would spend time alone with either one of them where things goes wrong. If I spend some time with Matt, Tai would get jealous and visa versa."  
  
"They still love you."  
  
"That they did." Sora sighed. "Soon our friendship dissolved as they argued and fought over me. Simple shouting matches soon escalated to fist fights. It was incredible they were fighting in my name, to win my love." She said trying very hard to hold back her tears. "I got so fed up with them and in a moment of anger I told them I didn't want to see either of them again."  
  
"I guess that's why all three of you were uncomfortable to be with each other today." Biyomon sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Sora sighed. "Matt blamed Tai for making me feel that way and the reverse was true with Tai. Then it happened, slowly all three of us drifted away." She sighed crestfallen.  
  
"So why can't the three of you put all this behind you?" Biyomon asked.  
  
"I don't know. I wish I knew." Sora sighed. "I guess we can't forget the things we said to each other."  
  
"Com'on Sora, cheer up." Biyomon reassured. "Let's forget about the past and have some fun today." The pink parrot suggested.  
  
"You're right." Sora smiled. "Let's see what the girls are doing." Sora said climbing down the tree. Biyomon waited patiently for her human counterpart to get to the ground.  
  
In her peripheral vision she saw Agumon and Taichi resting by the lake looking at the sky. 'Agumon is probably there to cheer him up.' She thought walking towards the diner. In the distant she heard harmonica music being played, she darted her eyes to a small hill where she could see the counterfeit of Yamato and his digimon bonding. 'I guess all three of them were worried about us.' She sighed looking at Biyomon walking a few paces before her.  
  
Moments later they reached the diner. The men were playing soccer in the far field while the women reclined on the ground in a circle formation. She heard giggling emanating from the group and had a feeling what they might be talking about. 'Boys.' She exasperated thinking. Regardless to how she felt about the subject she headed towards them.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Gee thanks for the gifts Mimi!" Miyako announced blissfully. "I just love this blouse you got me!" She declared with a huge grimace on her face.  
  
Mimi chuckled at Miyako's reaction. "That's okay Yolei I just saw it and thought it was you." She smiled.  
  
"How can I ever thank you?" Miyako exclaimed.  
  
"You just did." She smiled. "Then again, do you have any chocolate covered rice-balls?" Mimi sheepishly asked.  
  
"I got tons of them just for you." Miyako announced reaching into her backpack and grabbed a whole tray of chocolate covered rice-balls out.  
  
"Oh my." Mimi's eyes started to water. She quickly grabbed a rice-ball and stuffed her face. "Oh I miss these so much." Mimi replied through her full mouth.  
  
"Say it don't spray it." Hikari teased.  
  
The rest of the girls started to laugh and soon Mimi joined in seeing the humour of the situation. "So now that we're caught up with each other's lives what should we talk about now?" Miyako asked casually.  
  
The three girls looked at each other with a devilish smile, they were all thinking the same thing: "BOYS!" They yelled in unison laughing.  
  
"Oh, boy." Hawkmon sighed. "Here we go again." He whispered to the other digimons around him. Gatomon and Palmon hushed the eagle digimon for silence they wanted to hear this. 'Girls.' He sighed.  
  
"So Mimi are you and Michael an item?" Hikari asked.  
  
Mimi blushed at the comment. She didn't think that her feelings were so obvious. "No. We've gone out a couple of times, but I think he has a problem with the power structure of the digidestined back in New York." She sighed.  
  
"Let me get this straight, you're tell us that Michael can't take the fact that you're the leader of the team back in New York?" Hikari asked chuckling to herself with disbelief. "You think men in the twenty-first century would have a more enlighten attitude." She sighed.  
  
"It's not entirely Michael's fault." Mimi defended. "I'm not sure how I feel about him either." She pointed out.  
  
"What are you kidding?" Miyako gasped. "He's so incredibly cute."  
  
"Even so." Mimi sighed. "I feel like we're forced to be with each other."  
  
"I don't understand?" Palmon asked.  
  
Mimi gave a smile to her digimon. "I don't know how you feel, but boys our age that aren't digidestined are far too immature for my taste. I don't know it's hard to explained, but our experience in the Digital World makes it really hard for me to relate to them."  
  
"I think I know what you mean." Hikari sighed. "What I worry about and what an average girl my age worries about are totally different." She sighed. "While my greatest worry is the safety of worlds girls my age worries about more superficial things." She exasperated.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't understand. Why do you feel that you and Michael are being forced together?" Miyako sighed.  
  
"I call it the last man in the universe syndrome." Mimi explained. She saw confusion in her friends' eyes and their digimons as well and decided that further explanation was needed. "You see Michael and I are the same age among all the digidestineds back in New York, we are also the oldest and the thought of being in a relationship with the younger digidestined is just unthinkable." Mimi sighed.  
  
"Why?" Gatomon purred.  
  
Mimi thought how carefully to word her next thought. "Although in the long run a year or two in our ages wouldn't make much of a difference, but at our age those years are universes apart." She sighed.  
  
"So are you're saying that you're not sure about your feelings for Michael because you and he are the only people in New York that could be with each other?" Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Yeah something like that." Mimi sighed. "I want to know that my feelings for Michael are genuine before proceeding into anything more serious. It's only fair to him." She pointed out. "I just don't want to be with him because he's available, he deserves more than that." She entered into a gaze.  
  
"So Yolei what about you?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Yeah, any prospects for the future?" Mimi asked coming out of her gaze.  
  
"Oh you know me." Miyako sighed. "So many cute boys, so little time."  
  
"I thought you liked Ken and Izzy." Hawkmon added.  
  
Miyako quickly grabbed her digimon and closed his beak. "I told you not to tell anyone." She hushed at Hawkmon. The other laughed hysterically.  
  
"What so funny?" Sora asked smiling.  
  
"Well it seems Miss. Inoue here has been keeping a secret from us...about her love life." Hikari teased.  
  
"Oh who?" Sora smiled.  
  
"No one." Miyako quickly answered.  
  
"Izzy and Ken." Mimi decided to tell truth on her behalf.  
  
Sora put on a fraudulent chuckle to hide the fact that another love triangle was forming. It was hitting a little too close to home for her. "Yolei, whatever you decided be very careful to avoid love triangles of any kind. They have a funny way of blowing up in your face." She said soberly.  
  
Miyako was speechless about what Sora said. She knew how things ended with her particular love triangle and didn't know how to respond without patronizing her feelings. "Thanks. I'll take that advice to heart, but I don't think they have any romantic feelings for me. To them, I'm part of the Three Musketeers."  
  
"You mean the Three Stooges." Hikari teased.  
  
"Regardless, I think they think of me as one of the guys." Miyako sighed. "I guess things didn't go to well with Matt and Tai this morning." She sheepishly asked.  
  
"No." Sora smiled. "I didn't talk to them."  
  
"Is there a chance of reconciliation?" Mimi asked.  
  
"Not anytime soon." Sora sighed. "Unless the universe decides to destroy itself then maybe we have a chance." She mockingly added. No one laughed at her sarcasm. The silence was unbearable, especially for her. "So who's next?" She smiled breaking the silence.  
  
"Kari?" Mimi and Miyako asked in unison.  
  
All seven pairs of eyes darted at her. She felt the whole universe was looking at her. She could feel her checks turning rosy pink. "I think I might be falling for Davis." She quickly mumbled.  
  
"Davis!" Everyone gasped at the news, choking on whatever they were nibbling or drinking.  
  
"You guys sound surprised?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Well...yeah." Miyako sighed. "We just thought you and T.K. would end up together." She passively pointed out.  
  
"T.K. and I are just friends...best friends." Hikari chuckled to herself. "Why would you think that?" She asked.  
  
"Well I may be biased, but when we were in the Digital World together you two look so cute together." Mimi pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, you can't tell us you don't have any romantic feelings for T.K." Miyako pointed out.  
  
Hikari blushed embarrassed like a big secret of hers has been revealed. "Once upon a time." She blushed. "But that's irrelevant now, he likes someone else." She sighed loosing herself in her thoughts. "Wait a minute." She gasped realizing something. "How many of you thought that T.K. and I would end up together?" She asked.  
  
Hikari watched her friends and their digimon looking at each other and she slowly witnessed their verdict. Three human hands went up, followed by a pair of wings, one brown the other pink, then a tear shaped leaf, and finally a paw with a yellow glove with red strips on. "You too Gatomon?" She gasped feeling a little disappointed that her digimon didn't know how she felt about the men in her life. It was unanimous they all thought that she and Takeru would be together.  
  
"Well it's the truth." She purred defensively.  
  
"I'm open!" Takeru voice emanated from their mocked soccer field.  
  
Hikari turned to watch Takeru manoeuvre the soccer ball pass Jou and Tentomon to score on Koushiro who was defending the goal. 'Not bad for a basketball player.' She thought. His uncovered flaxen hair danced wildly in the wind as she saw his muscles flexing and tensing while running towards his team mates for a short victory celebration.  
  
'Maybe they're right.' She thought allowing her mind to wonder about the possibility that she and he could be together, ignoring all her senses that kept telling her that they couldn't be together because he was in like with another she. For once Hikari allowed her id to override her superego and contemplated of what may be. 'Perhaps in another universe, in another lifetime.' She thought.  
  
Hikari wondered if there was some kind of karmic or cosmic umbilical cord connecting the two of them together, because he turned to her and smiled his boyish grin that could melt a stubborn girl's heart - even hers, when she allowed her heart to be unguarded. It was like he could sense her watching him or her eyes on him. Though they were rather distant she thought that he could see her blush.  
  
"Thinking of T.K. are we?" Miyako teased.  
  
"No." Hikari blushed. "I was doing no such thing." She protested. "So what are we going talk about next?" She asked quickly changing the subject.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"All right. Let's continue with the game!" Daisuke sighed with indignation. He wanted to finish the game before going to lunch. His team was up by one when Takeru scored on the breakaway play before.  
  
Since Taichi and Yamato and their digimons were elsewhere. It was a eight-on-eight soccer game, the new digidestined men and their digimons was on one team, the leading team, while the other teams consists of the first digidestined men with Michael, his digimon and Willis' twin digimons.  
  
"Just a second!" Koushiro yelled. They were still in the huddle discussing strategy. "Okay break!" He said and they parted to their position.  
  
"Finally." Daisuke sighed.  
  
It was Michael's turn to play goalie he walked towards two book bags, which defined the goal posts. In his peripheral vision he saw Willis standing by the lake looking into it, very much like this morning when he was staring into the Hudson River.  
  
His mind was on what he called his prodigal son and wondered why he wasn't enjoying himself. He was worried about him not as a friend, but as a brother and a fellow digidestined, even if he didn't consider himself apart of the team he was one of them. Suddenly, the soccer ball zoomed passed him.  
  
"Hey Michael." Koushiro was concern for him. "Are you okay? Why weren't you watching the game?" He asked with compassion.  
  
"I'm sorry." Michael apologized nonchalantly. "My mind is elsewhere." He sighed watching Willis; his movement hasn't changed since the game started hours ago.  
  
"Why don't you go and speak to him." Koushiro suggested.  
  
"Thanks, I think I will." Michael smiled. "If you'll excuse me." He sighed walking towards Willis.  
  
"Hey where are you going?" Daisuke yelled from the opposing team. "We have a game to finish!" Michael ignored him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Willis was surprised by how easily the digital waters of the lake could fool his eyes. In his mind, he knew that the lake was a bunch of ones and zeros in a sequence to create an image of a lake, yet it was paradoxically much more, it was also real.  
  
After all the human body is not unlike the digital one that he sees in his twin digimons. A human body is created of cells and amino acids, protons and electrons in the elementary sense, yet it could not explain how consciousness and the breath of life entered through their soulless bodies.  
  
Digital or not, the lake had the same effect on Willis as the Hudson River had back in New York. He too wished that the digital waters could carry his problems away into the vast ocean so far off. Yet like the Hudson River, it couldn't carry away his nightmare, the same reoccurring dream that he has been dreaming for the last two days.  
  
"A penny?" Michael's voice disturbed his thoughts.  
  
"Oh, they're not worth that much." He sighed emotionlessly.  
  
"Try me."  
  
"You know Michael some days I regret that I am a digidestined." He sighed. "Some days, I think all this as a curse instead of a blessing." Willis exasperated.  
  
"Me too." Michael sighed. Willis darted his blue eyes towards him in shock. "You looked surprised." He observed.  
  
"I admit yes, I always thought of you as a gung-ho person especially when it concerns being a digidestined. You preach the benefits and joys of being a digidestined like it was the fifth gospel." Willis pointed out.  
  
Michael chuckled to himself. "I have my off days. Mimi could attest to that. She heard my mad ramblings before." He smiled. "Some days it just gets to me. Saving this world and ours, the charge to protect and guard the Western Hemisphere of the Digital World from any approaching darkness. I have seen death and killed in the name of a holy and just cause. I can travel through dimensions as easily and casually as one crosses a door. Plus I have to balance the life of a typical adolescence with all the anguish and emotional stress of a love life in shambles and woes that only this age could bring. Add to that mess the pressures of school and examinations not to mention the great expectations of being an example, a leader, student, friend, son, and motivator to so many in your life." He replied loquaciously. "It just gets to me..." He sighed.  
  
"I wouldn't have known." Willis sighed. "You hide it well."  
  
"Well being a leader is acting a hundred percent sure when you only feel fifty-one percent right." He sighed. "But I think this is more then the typical bout of doubt or defiance of our destiny." Michael pointed out.  
  
Willis smiled to himself. "How right you are." He sighed. "I have a burden so heavy and great that I don't know what to do." Willis replied enigmatically.  
  
"You and your riddles." He sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry it can't be helped." He sighed. "You know some days I feel like Hermes." Willis exasperated.  
  
"The messenger of the gods?" Michael asked with confusion. "Does this have to deal with the message you have to give?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "It was said that the arrival of Hermes was a bad omen because he always brought bad news." Willis explained.  
  
"And this message is bad?"  
  
"It depends on how one looks at it." Willis sighed ambiguously.  
  
"There's you and your ambiguity again."  
  
"I'm sorry it can't be..."  
  
"Helped." Michael sighed. "Yes, so I've been told." He exasperated. "What is exactly is this message?" He asked.  
  
"A question that only one can answer." Willis sighed.  
  
"Let me guess I'm not the one." Michael said.  
  
"If you were the one I wouldn't be standing here right now contemplating the consequences of my actions or lack thereof." Willis smiled. "Thanks for your concern, but this is something I have to do alone." He smiled reassuring his friend with his hand on his shoulder.  
  
At that, the sounds of a triangle resonated through the air signifying that lunch was ready. "I think that's lunch." Michael said.  
  
"Yeah." Willis sighed. "You go on ahead." He sighed returning his attention to the lake.  
  
"Hmm...I think I figure out something more enigmatic then you." Michael sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How Digitamamon rings a triangle without any hands." He sighed.  
  
Willis chuckled to himself. "Some things are best left to obscurity." He said trying to picture the digimon doing that particular deed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Daisuke headed towards the lake to get some water for his instant noodles, while Hikari fixed the picnic blanket that they were to sit on while Gatomon and Veemon went off into the woods to get some kindling for the fire.  
  
He was disappointed that Gatomon and Veemon wanted to be with them on the date, simply because they didn't know what a date was, but he relented when Hikari said that it was okay. He could understand Hikari's reasons for letting them join them on their date; after all, they haven't seen each other for a whole year. He wasn't heartless, he wanted to be with them, but he preferred to be alone with her.  
  
This was the second date in so many days that they were chaperoned in some shape or form. First it was with Takeru and Chastity, now Veemon and Gatomon. 'I better get back before our digimons returns.' He thought carefully navigating back with a pot full of water. Hikari was sitting on the blanket patiently waiting for his return.  
  
"Do you need some help?" Hikari asked.  
  
"No, I'm fine." Daisuke smiled placing his mother's favourite pot on the grass.  
  
"Where are Veemon and Gatomon?" He asked nonchalantly, trying to hide his frustration about their digimon chaperones. Hikari noticed the disappointment in his voice.  
  
"They should be back soon." She sighed watching Daisuke coming towards her. He put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into the hollow of his neck. "I'm sure they'll understand." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Our digimons." Hikari sighed. "If you want us to be alone, I'm sure they'll understand if we explain it to them." She pointed out.  
  
Daisuke blushed that she found out his inner feelings. "No, I want them to be here." He sighed. "It was just a shock to me that they would want to join us, when I was planning this date I didn't expect to baby-sit our digimons." He smiled.  
  
"Well we're alone now." She hinted.  
  
He gently lifted her chin so their eyes would meet. "Yeah, he we are, all alone." He smiled gazing into her brown eyes. He leaned down wanting to kiss her; this was their first kiss without any obligation, the one that was not expected. The second kiss, the rational one, the one after the storm.  
  
They closed their eyes and shorten the gap between their lips. Hikari's heart was pumping expecting his lips on hers when they were interrupted. "Hey Davis whatcha doing?" Veemon asked.  
  
Daisuke and Hikari gasped turning to see their digimons standing in front of them watching them with their big eyes. In their arms were branches of wood that the needed for the fire. "Nothing." They replied in unison, they're faces turning red.  
  
"It doesn't look like nothing to me." Veemon pointed out. "Is this what you humans call a kiss?"  
  
"Hey Veemon, why don't you help me get the fire started." Daisuke quickly interrupted his blue monster friend. He grabbed the twigs from Gatomon and dragged Veemon off towards the pot.  
  
"Hey what did I say?" Veemon protested being dragged off, his voice trailing from where Gatomon and Hikari sat.  
  
Hikari giggled at the sight. She glanced into Gatomon's blue eyes and saw concern in them. "What's wrong?" Hikari opened her arms allowing the cat digimon to jump in.  
  
"I wanted to apologized for disappointing you earlier." She sighed.  
  
"What do you have to apologized for?" Hikari asked with confusion.  
  
"For thinking you and T.K. would end up together."  
  
"Oh that." Hikari smiled. "Don't be silly." She sighed, tickling Gatomon behind her right ear. "I guess I can't fault you or my friends to think that." She sighed. "After all T.K. and I are really close friends and I guess it's natural to assume that we end together." She sighed.  
  
"Then I'm forgiven?"  
  
Hikari chuckled to herself. "Silly cat, there's nothing to be forgiven for."  
  
"Ah...I'm on fire!" Daisuke yelled running past them towards the lake.  
  
"I'm sorry Davis. I didn't realize my Fire Rockets were that powerful." Flamedramon said running by them.  
  
Hikari was concerned but couldn't help but laugh. "Hasn't he heard of stop, drop and roll?" Gatomon purred. Hikari chuckled to herself seeing him jump in the lake. "Are you really sure you like him?" She purred looking at her human companion.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed watching Daisuke coming out of the lake yelling at Flamedramon at the same time. "I do." She suppressed a chuckle.  
  
"Well, if you're happy, then I'm happy for you." Gatomon purred.  
  
She turned to look at her digimon for the first time since Daisuke ran by them on fire and smiled. "Thanks Gatomon."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru saw the whole thing unfolding. He was crestfallen when he found out Hikari and Daisuke would not join the rest of the digidestined at lunch at Digitamamon's Diner. He watched as Daisuke and Hikari walking hand in hand away from him and their digimons followed not too far behind them. The four of them headed to a small hill by the woods where they sat for their picnic date.  
  
He watched as they parted ways, the digimons to the woods and Daisuke to the lake to fetch some water, leaving Hikari to set up the eating area. His heart was in agony when he saw them together alone without their digimon companions, with each beat his heart the anguish deepened.  
  
"The pain will subside. That I'll promise you." Jou said taking the seat across from him.  
  
"Pardon?" Takeru sighed, still watching them in his peripheral vision. He sighed, a whiff of relief when he saw their digimons interrupting them.  
  
"Your heartache." He sighed taking a sip of his coffee. "It will diminish in time." He pointed out.  
  
Takeru looked into his brown eyes, contemplating whether to deny the accusations. When his brother was not around, like now, he had always considered Jou his second surrogate brother.  
  
On two separate occasions Jou had saved his life in the name of responsibility. The first time was in the digital world, in this very same diner five years ago and the second time was when he was willing to sacrifice his life for his in the cold waters of Odaiba harbour before he drowned.  
  
He decided not to fight him. "It sounds like you speak from experience." Takeru sighed pushing his food around on his plate; he wasn't particularly hungry.  
  
He quickly took a furtive look outside the window to see what Hikari and Daisuke were doing. He saw Daisuke dragging Veemon away and sat down placing wood on the ground next to a pot. 'Probably to start a fire.' He thought returning his glance to Jou.  
  
Yamato, Taichi, Willis and their digimons didn't return for lunch. Digitamamon was outraged that eleven of the twenty-nine people didn't show up for their buffet style lunch. Koushiro reassured Digitamamon that he would still get paid for their meals. At that the egg digimon was happy, that is if Digitamamon could ever be happy.  
  
"I had a broken heart once or twice." Jou sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to delve into your personal life." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Take it from a veteran of multiple broken hearts. It will heal in time, this too shall come and pass." Jou smiled.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed returning his gaze back to the outside world. He saw Daisuke threw two sticks on the ground with frustration. 'Too bad he wasn't a Boy Scout.' Takeru sighed. He blinked his eyes in disbelief when he saw Veemon armour digivolve into Flamedramon. 'Oh no.' He sighed knowing what would happen next. The next thing he saw was Daisuke running towards the lake on fire. "Um...Joe I think you should check up on Davis." He said.  
  
"Why?" Jou asked taking a sip of coffee.  
  
"He's on fire." He said nonchalantly.  
  
"What?" Jou gasped spitting his coffee. He looked out the window and saw flames sprouting from his jacket heading to the water.  
  
"I just all those decorated flames on his jacket finally decided to combust." Takeru jested. He turned to see how funny Jou thought it was only to see him gone. He looked out the window again and saw a frantic Jou running towards them. Takeru chuckled to himself. "Same old Joe." He sighed.  
  
"What's so funny?" Iori asked taking the seat across from him.  
  
"Oh Davis was on fire and Joe's out there trying to see if he's okay." Takeru sighed. He saw confusion in his friend's green eyes. "Never mind." He sighed. "You have to be there." He sighed.  
  
"I'll take your word for it." Iori sighed putting his fork in his mouth. He watched Takeru push his lunch around with his fork. He sighed and decided to confront him about Takeru's situation. "So when are you going to tell her your feelings?" Iori asked nonchalantly.  
  
Takeru gasped and looked at the ten-year-old boy with shock. "I...I don't know what you're talking about." He stuttered.  
  
"You can't fool me T.K." Iori sighed. "I'm your D.N.A. Digivolving Partner." He pointed out.  
  
Takeru exasperated. "No I guess I can't." He smiled. If Takeru considered Jou Kido as his surrogate older brother, then Iori Hida would be his surrogate younger brother. Takeru always thought Iori as a rather paradoxical person; being the youngest member of the digidestined he was probable the most mature - even for a digidestined.  
  
Being Iori's D.N.A. Digivolving Partner their hearts and mind were momentarily convalesced into one when Angemon and Ankylomon first merged into Shakkoumon. For one brief second Takeru and Iori were one, indistinguishable from each other, where Takeru didn't know where he ended or where Iori began.  
  
Ever since then, Takeru would, on occasion, have an empathic feeling, an insight into Iori's mind; perhaps this was one of those times where Iori could feel what he was feeling or thinking. He exasperated deciding to tell him the truth. "To answer your question, no I'm not going to tell her." Takeru sighed.  
  
"I thought so." Iori sighed. For the second time during their conversation he saw Takeru's shocked eyes looking back at him. "It's this sense of nobility of yours." He started to explain. "When Angemon and Ankylomon first D.N.A. digivolved for one brief moment I knew everything about you including some promise you made to Sora five years ago." Takeru gasped a third time. "Don't worry, I don't know what it is, as you know after that moment everything seem to quickly fade away, but I have this feeling that it was somehow connecting to that promise." He sighed. "Am I right?"  
  
"In part." Takeru sighed. "Look Cody, I'll appreciated if you..."  
  
"Don't worry I won't tell." Iori sighed.  
  
"Don't tell what?" Patamon asked flying to sit next to Takeru with his lunch.  
  
"I'll tell you later Patamon." Takeru sighed.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
After lunch the digidestineds decided to spend some quality time with their digimons on a one to one basis. In so doing that they scattered into the Digital World like mice running away from a burning barn.  
  
"Hey T.K. what are we doing?" Patamon asked.  
  
"It's called fishing." Takeru answered nonchalantly. "We did this before five years ago on the back of Whamon, before we defeated Metal Seadramon." He pointed out.  
  
"Yeah I know." Patamon sighed.  
  
Takeru smiled at his friend. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's just that I don't like fish." Patamon sighed.  
  
"I know and I'm sorry." Takeru sighed. "It's just that all of a sudden I feel like fishing, I haven't done so for a long time." He sighed reminiscing. "Dad, Matt, and I use to go every summer before my parents divorced eight years ago." Takeru sighed. "I guess I just wanted to recapture that innocence." He sighed entering a gaze...  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Nine Years Ago...  
  
It was a hazy summer's evening, the sun was setting and the cold night was approaching. Takeru Takaishi and Hikari Kamiya aged four, sat at the edge of the pier dangling their tiny legs about a foot above the water's surface with their fishing poles dangling a few feet into the water. They sat together in silence enjoying the awesome view that nature had provided them.  
  
"Hey T.K.?" Hikari broke the silence.  
  
Takeru turned to look at his friend, she was nervous asking him something. "What is it Kari?" He smiled.  
  
Hikari was looking at her fishing pole trying so hard not to look at him. "Were you mad with me I came fishing with you guys?" She asked, above a whisper.  
  
"Honestly?" He asked returning his gaze into the waters.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari asked.  
  
He could sense a crack in her voice. She felt really bad and wanting to cry and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her, but she wanted the truth. "Honestly, yeah I was a little upset."  
  
The traditional Ishida fishing trip was solely a male bonding experience. It was usually just the Ishida boys and their father taking a weeklong trip to their super secret sacred lake and to do absolutely nothing but fish. Then again this trip was anything but tradition. It was the first time his father invited Taichi and his father to come along.  
  
Hikari wasn't invited, but was determined to go, so much so that she lurked into Takeru's father's van with her trusty pink fishing pole and hid juxtaposed against the other equipment and baggage they put in the back.  
  
They were about two hours on the road when Hikari sneezed and she was discovered. Everyone in the van was mad at her for coming along without informing anyone. They stopped at the next local gas station where Taichi's father called home to tell his wife that she's with him and to get more supplies to cover Hikari's share. His father welcomed Hikari aboard while her brother and the Ishida boys gave her the silent treatment for the rest of the trip.  
  
"Oh." Hikari sighed allow a few tears to flow to her cheek.  
  
Takeru noticed. "Oh Kari don't cry." He said putting his fishing pole down. Putting his arm around her allowing her to dry her tears on his shoulder. "Please don't cry. I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear. "But now I'm really glad you came." He said comforting her.  
  
"Really?" She looked up at him with tears in eyes.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Matt and Tai are always playing with each other and wouldn't let me play with them."  
  
"Yeah they do that to me too."  
  
"Usually I could play with dad, but your dad and my dad are always talking and don't want me around. All my dad talk about is a divorce." Takeru sighed.  
  
"What's a divorce?"  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "But it sounds bad."  
  
"I hope not."  
  
"Well I tell you when I find out." Takeru sighed. "Dad said he's waiting one more year before getting one." He sighed.  
  
"Okay." She smiled. "So why are you glad that I came?" Hikari asked.  
  
Takeru took a deep sigh and let it all out. "Kari, you're my best friend and if you hadn't sneaked yourself into my father's van I would be so incredibly lonesome and this would have been the worse fishing trip ever." He reassured.  
  
"I'm your best friend?"  
  
Takeru blushed slightly feeling a little embarrassed for having a girl as his best friend, especially at an age where girls had cooties and boys were gross. "Yeah." He smiled. "Aren't I your best friend?" He sheepishly asked biting his lower lip.  
  
Hikari freed his lower lip with her thumb. "Mama told me not to bite my lip, she says it's a bad habit." She smiled, looking into his blue eyes still waiting for an answer. "Yes, T.K. you're my best friend." She smiled returning her head to his shoulder.  
  
Takeru grabbed his fishing pole and dangled it near hers. They enjoyed the sound of nature encompassing them, their legs swayed and dangled in the air. "Kari?" Takeru asked, this time it was he breaking the silence. "Why did you want to come fishing so much?"  
  
"Honestly?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'll miss you." Hikari sheepishly answered.  
  
"What?" Takeru sounded surprised.  
  
Hikari blushed at her statement. "I miss you, ever since we met we haven't been apart for more than a day and when I heard that you were leaving, I just wanted to cry..." She sighed.  
  
"I never knew you felt that way." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Well now you do."  
  
"In any case, I'm glad that I could share this part of my life with you."  
  
"You do?" Hikari smiled looking into Takeru's eyes. He nodded in affirmation and smiled. She put her head back on his shoulder and gave a pleasant sigh. "T.K. let's make a promise that we'll always stay best friends and that we'll always tell each other everything, no matter what happens." Hikari asked.  
  
"Why are you asking?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Don't you want to be best friends forever?" Hikari said with disappointment.  
  
"Oh, is that all? Sure I promise to be your best friend forever."  
  
"Really?" She grinned excitedly. "And tell each other everything, no matter what happens?" She added ecstatically.  
  
"Scouts honour." He signalled.  
  
"Oh T.K. I'm so happy." Hikari gave him a great hug.  
  
Takeru resisted the hug at first feeling a little choked about the hug, he never realized how strong she was until this moment, but regardless he relented and returned her hug. He closed his eyes and smelled her lavender and lilac scent hair. Strangely, holding Hikari wasn't as uncomfortable as he thought it would be in all honestly, he quite enjoyed it.  
  
Suddenly Hikari's line suddenly snapped with a vengeance. "Kari! I think you caught something!" Takeru exclaimed.  
  
"What?" Hikari gasped grabbing her pink fishing pole. "Uh...help me T.K. this one is strong." She gasped.  
  
"All right." Takeru said putting his hands over hers and together they started to pull the fish together. He pulled the rod and her body closer to his, but the fish was relentless in his fight. "I think we'll need some more help." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Dad!" They yelled in unison.  
  
The two fathers rushed out of their tents in fright, they thought the worse, like they were attack by a vicious animal or something. "What is it son?" The Ishida senior asked.  
  
"Hikari you're all right?" Her father asked.  
  
"Yeah...we caught a fish." Takeru sighed straining to pull it in.  
  
"A big one." Hikari added.  
  
"Here let go sweetie." Hikari's father suggested.  
  
"No, it's my fish!" Hikari pouted. "I want to reel it in!"  
  
"Okay." Her father sighed, getting behind Takeru and helped the kids to reel it in, while Takeru's father directed when to reel and when to release the slack. Five minutes later the two children pulled out a twelve pound, three ounce trout. The biggest fish they caught all week.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Patamon knew that something was bothering his best friend. For the last five minutes he has been watching him staring out into the lake not saying a word to him. "T.K.? What's wrong?" Patamon asked with deep concern.  
  
Takeru came out of his gaze looking at his digimon. "Nothing." He smiled. "What makes you think that something's wrong?" He asked.  
  
"You're not happy." The orange piglet with wings for ears pointed out.  
  
"What do you mean, of course I'm happy. I'm having the time of my life." He reassured his digimon friend.  
  
"T.K. you can't fool me." Patamon said flying towards his head resting on his white cap. "You may smile, laugh, play and have fun, but I know you T.K. and in your eyes you're sad...very sad." He replied.  
  
Takeru put his fishing rod on the ground and picked the orange digimon off his head and placed him on his lap. "Can't fool you can I?" Takeru smiled.  
  
"What's wrong?" Patamon reiterated his question.  
  
Takeru exasperated thinking how he should proceed. He looked into the blue pools of Patamon's eyes and took a deep breath. "There's this girl I like." He sighed.  
  
"Kari."  
  
"What makes you say that?" Takeru gasped.  
  
"It's not a surprise. I see the way you look at her." Patamon sighed flying back to rest on his head. "Besides you talk in your sleep." Takeru thought he heard Patamon smile.  
  
"I do?" Takeru asked picking up his fishing pole blushing.  
  
"Yeah, you talk about Kari every other night." He sighed. "So are you going to tell her your feelings?" The digimon asked.  
  
"No." Takeru said, above a whisper.  
  
"Why not?" Patamon gasped.  
  
"She doesn't love me." He replied.  
  
"Did she tell you that?"  
  
"No." He sighed. "I just know."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I know Patamon." Takeru sighed enforcing the first two words for his benefit. "As sure as the sun set in the west and rises in the east." He sighed.  
  
Patamon knew better then to continue, but he did so regardless. "Sounds like you've given up hope to me." The orange digimon sighed. "That's very unlike you." He added.  
  
That comment was his Achilles heal, every time someone confronts him about losing hope it hits him personally. "In all honesty, she wants to be with Davis then me." He sighed.  
  
"So what? So she likes Davis." Patamon sighed. "There's still nothing wrong in telling her?" Patamon asked. "If she has the same feelings for you then everything's great, but if she doesn't at least you know." Patamon pointed out. "It's got to be better then just brooding around." He pointed out.  
  
"Since when did you become such a smart digimon?" Takeru asked smiling.  
  
"I learned everything from you." He replied.  
  
Takeru couldn't help, but to feel flattered by the comment, although he personally didn't believe it. He carefully thought what Patamon, his parents, his brother, Jou, Iori, and even Taichi said over the past four days.  
  
"You're not going to tell her are you?" Patamon asked.  
  
"No, at least not now."  
  
"Then when?"  
  
"When the time is right." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Hey T.K." Hikari's voice emanated from behind him. They turned to see her walking towards them with Gatomon beside her.  
  
"There's no time like the present." Patamon whispered flying towards the approaching two. "Hey Gatomon I'm planning a hide and go seek game, want to play?" The flying digimon asked.  
  
"Sure." Gatomon purred leaving the Hikari alone.  
  
"Thanks Patamon." Takeru whispered, knowing that he planned the impromptu hide and go seek for his benefit, so that they could be alone.  
  
He watched as Hikari walked towards him with a smile. She seemed to glide and flowed towards him like she was walking on air. She took his breath away. "Fishing?" She asked sitting beside him. "How very Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn of you." She commented on the mock fishing rod he held in his hands.  
  
"Oh." Takeru smiled at his primitive fishing rod. "I didn't plan to go fishing, it's just that being in the Digital World has made me awfully nostalgic." He pointed out. "Hence the poor imitation of a fishing pole." Takeru smiled.  
  
"I know what you mean." Hikari sighed. "Everything I see reminds me of the first time I saw them all those years ago." She sighed. "You looked so cute and adorable when you were eight." She teased.  
  
"Yeah well I quickly grew out of that didn't I?" Takeru sighed.  
  
"I think you give yourself too little credit." Hikari pointed out. "Practically half the girls at school would give their right arm to go out with you." She pointed out. "You changed so much over the years and for the better." Hikari sighed. "For example I'm no longer two inches taller to you." She teased.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself and sighed. "Hey, it's scientifically proven that girls mature more quickly then boys." He pointed out defensively.  
  
"Point taken." Hikari sighed. "At least you're no longer a cry baby." She continued in her relentless teasing.  
  
"Well technically I still am." He sighed. "Except that I do all my crying on the inside." He confessed.  
  
"I didn't know that." She gasped.  
  
"Well I'm glad that in our ten year relationship I could still surprise you." Takeru pointed out. "Kari, with all due respect, what are you doing here? No offence, but it's not that I don't enjoy this character assassination or this tantalizing, witty banter with you, but if you don't tell me soon my ego won't survive." Takeru asked.  
  
Hikari chuckled to herself and sighed. "I just wanted to talk." Hikari sighed. "It's been a long time since we talked." She confessed.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "We talked yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that." He pointed out.  
  
"Not that." Hikari sighed. "I mean a heart to heart. It's been a long time since we had one of those and quite frankly I miss you Takeru Takaishi." She sighed putting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, it has been a long time." He sighed. "I miss you too, we all have been busy with our lives haven't we?" Takeru asked rhetorically.  
  
"Too busy." Hikari sighed. "So how was your date with Chastity?"  
  
"Good." Takeru replied nonchalantly. "I enjoyed myself, thanks for setting me up." He smiled.  
  
"No problem. You know me I'm a regular cupid." She sighed. "What did you and Chastity do after you walk?"  
  
"We went to an ice-cream parlour for dessert. It seems that Chastity hates white chocolate as much as I." He teased.  
  
"Oh a women after you heart." Hikari bantered back.  
  
"Very funny." Takeru chuckled dryly.  
  
"What did you do there?"  
  
"We shared a milkshake and a sundae." He sighed. "Then I walked her home."  
  
"Did you kiss her good night?" She probed.  
  
"Kari, a gentlemen never kiss and tell." Takeru replied. She got up from his shoulders and stared into his blue eyes wanting the gossip. "Once on the check, rather innocent." He sighed.  
  
"Always the gentleman." Hikari smiled putting her head back on his shoulder. "It's such a rarity to find one in this day and age." She sighed.  
  
"A complement from Hikari Kamiya I shall remember the date and time." Takeru teased. "So how was your date with Davis?" He asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Which one today's or yesterday's?" Hikari asked.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Not today's I got a pretty good idea what happened." He smiled. Hikari was confused why Takeru found humour in her third date and questioned him. "I saw himself catching on fire and then running to the lake. I was the one who sent Joe to see if he was okay."  
  
"Oh, that." Hikari started to giggle. "He's all right, his ego is a little scorch, no pun intended, but he's all right." Hikari sighed. "Of course now he's freaking that his mother's best pot was burned beyond recognition and he'll be ground forever and a day, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Hikari smiled.  
  
"You must be starving."  
  
"Famished."  
  
Takeru leaned into his backpack and took out a chocolate bar. "Here." He said giving it to Hikari. "I know it's not white chocolate or the most healthiest lunches in the world, but you should have something in your stomach."  
  
"Thanks." Hikari said biting into the chocolate bar. "Want some?" She offered Takeru.  
  
"No, thank you." Takeru sighed. "So how was your date last night after Chastity and I left?" Takeru reiterated his question, this time with more clarification.  
  
"Nothing much, we popped in a video had a slice of the chocolate cake with white chocolate frosting that you brought." Hikari said with her mouth full. "It seems that Davis loathes white chocolate as much as you." She pointed out.  
  
"Wow, I never expected that Davis would have such good taste." Takeru teased.  
  
Hikari got off his shoulder and looked at him. "Oh you're incorrigible." She playfully hit her best friend.  
  
"What?" Takeru raised his hands to deflect her barrage of playful hitting. "It's the truth, quite frankly I don't know how you like the stuff." He sighed.  
  
"Chocolate is chocolate, why can't any men in my life understand that." She sighed looking into his eyes full of concern. She wanted tell him something of a serious nature.  
  
"What is it Kari?" He said reading her eyes.  
  
"I really appreciated if you and Davis would make an honest attempt in being friends." Hikari asked seriously.  
  
"Wow, you must really like him to ask me that." Takeru gasped in awe, trying really hard not to show any ill feelings, while inside he was crying a storm.  
  
"Yeah, I think the next time he ask me to be his girlfriend I might say yes." Hikari smiled.  
  
He reached for her cheek and touched it. "For you, I'll make an honest attempt." Takeru smiled looking into her eyes.  
  
"Thanks." She smiled returning her head to his shoulder. "You're such a good friend." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah, no problem, what are friends for?" Takeru sighed trying to hide the pain in his voice. "So did you kiss him?" Takeru hesitantly asked.  
  
"Promise you won't tell Tai?"  
  
"So you DID kiss him."  
  
"Yeah, it set my soul ablaze." Hikari sighed.  
  
"That good?"  
  
"Oh, it was orgasmic."  
  
"Too much information!" Takeru whined. "It's going to take me days to get that image out of my mind." Takeru teased.  
  
Hikari chuckled at the comment and sighed changing the mood. "T.K. remember yesterday when we had that talk about keeping things from each other for the sake of our relationship?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed feeling a little guilty for breaking the promise he made nine years ago. "As I recall we were both keeping something from each other."  
  
"Yeah, well I'm ready to tell you mine." Hikari sighed getting off his shoulder. "I think it's time."  
  
"All right." Takeru sighed. "What is it?"  
  
"The reason I didn't want to talk to you two nights ago and the reason I broke my promise is simple and I'll ask you not to interrupt me until I'm done, because if you do I might lose my nerve." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Okay." Takeru agreed.  
  
"That night after our first date Davis and I was about to kiss when I saw you standing there next to me getting ready to give my first grown up kiss." Hikari mumbled quickly. She saw Takeru opening his mouth, but interrupted him. "I'm not done yet. I'll tell you when I'm done." She said putting her finger on his lip. "Freaking out was my first reaction so I rushed into the house and when I did you were on the phone and quite frankly I didn't want to talk to you."  
  
Hikari sighed taking a deep breath. "This was the first time I picture you in a romantic context, at least with a visual hallucination. I knew that you liked Chastity and that she liked another boy, but I had to be sure that I didn't like you if I were to continue to have a relationship with Davis. So I did a lot of soul searching, and talked with Tai and Sora and in short they told me to follow my heart."  
  
She took another sigh to recollect her thoughts and she was grateful that Takeru waited for her. "After talking with Sora I literally bumped into Chastity and invited her to dinner as a blind date for you. I did for two reasons really, firstly to see how you two got along and secondly, how I felt with you being on a date with her. Suffice to say, seeing you two together, looking so happy, made up my mind. You and Chastity were happy with each other, you two are perfect for each other and so I decided to let you and Chastity have that happiness and decided to concentrate all my energies on Davis." She probed Takeru's eyes to see what she could find. "I'm finished." She said above a whisper. "What do you think? Did I totally ruin our relationship forever?"  
  
"No." Takeru gasped. "I'm just shocked, flattered, but shocked."  
  
Hikari gave a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad, the last thing that I wanted is for our relationship to be ruined. Plus never to have to go through choosing who I loved more." She sighed.  
  
Takeru was hurt by the last addendum to her statement. What very little encouragement he had left to tell her his feelings were drained. He could never tell her now; he cared too much for her to do so.  
  
"So could you tell me your secret? The one you're hiding from me?"  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "The moment is definitely not right." He sarcastically chuckled to himself.  
  
"Is it that damning?"  
  
"Earth-shattering, if I tell you now." Takeru sighed.  
  
"All right, I'll trust your judgement." Hikari smiled reassuring him of that fact. She returned her head on his shoulder and started to chuckle thinking about something earlier.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"It's nothing." Hikari sighed. "I was thinking how the girls reacted today when I told them that I was seeing Davis." She sighed chuckling to herself.  
  
"How did the react?"  
  
"Surprised." She chuckled to herself. "Everyone including Gatomon thought that..."  
  
"We would end up together." Takeru finished her statement.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I guess it's a reasonable assumption, after all we have been friends close to a decade." Takeru sighed trying to hide his feelings from his voice.  
  
"I guess." She sighed. "T.K. have you ever thought of me in a romantic context?" Hikari nonchalantly asked getting up from his shoulder looking into his royal blue eyes.  
  
"Have you about me?" He returned.  
  
"I told you about the kiss didn't I?"  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "You made it sound like a momentarily lapse from sanity." Takeru pointed out. "Have you ever thought about me in a romantic context for longer than a moment?" He reiterated.  
  
Hikari looked into his eyes wanting an escape. Her prayers were answered. "I think you caught something." Hikari pointed to his fishing rod.  
  
"Thanks." Takeru said pulling on his pole. It was lighter; significantly lighter then the one they caught nine years ago. The fish was a tiny, small minnow probably weighing less then an ounce.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "I guess that I'd leave the fishing to you." He sighed looking into her confused eyes. "Nine years ago, you caught a ten pound trout?" He clarified.  
  
"Oh yeah." Hikari smiled. "Wow, I totally forgot about that."  
  
"Well it's understandable." Takeru sighed. "It was a long time ago." He said unhooking the minnow and gently let it go back into the pond. "There you go little fellow." He sighed putting his rod on the soft green grass.  
  
"You're not fishing anymore?"  
  
"No." Takeru sighed. "I think our talking is scaring the fish, besides I think all this nostalgia is starting to get to me." He sighed.  
  
Hikari looked into his eyes and smiled. "Are you okay? Your eyes are so sad." She said touching his cheeks with the tips of her fingers.  
  
"I'll be fine." He said unconvincingly. "I get this way sometimes when I think about the past." He sighed looking at her. "You never answered my question."  
  
"Nor you mine." Hikari smiled.  
  
Takeru wanted to tell her his feelings, but the fact that she told him that she didn't want to go through another love triangle again made him pause. 'I can't tell her.' He thought raising his eyes towards the horizon. "Perhaps we'll answer that another time." Takeru sighed. "I think Davis is looking for you." He replied.  
  
Hikari turned to see him. "Yeah." She sighed. "I told him that I needed to talk to you for about five minutes, I guess I took longer then I thought and he decided to fetch me." Hikari sighed. "I've better be going, tell Gatomon that I'll be walking in the woods with Davis when she asks."  
  
"I will." Takeru sighed watching his love walk away. He saw them embrace in a hug and then hand in hand they walked towards the sunset. He had not imagine how painful this moment would be, he thought that he prepared his heart to take the inevitable, but the pain was too much for him to bear nor did he imagine such pain ever existed.  
  
He stood up and skipped a stone into the lake. 'All this for a promise.' He thought. A promise he made five years ago to Sora and more recently with Hikari's father. He looked at the direction where he last saw the couple - they were gone. 'At least she's happy.' He thought returning his attention back to the lake leaning against the willow that he was sitting under thinking about a new way to cope with this situation.  
  
"It makes you think doesn't it?" Takeru was startled by the voice. He turned to see Willis standing beside him looking into the lake. "The water is so soothing, calming and reflective." He sighed getting to one knee touching the water's surface with his fingertips.  
  
"Yet it could somehow make us feel so...small, tiny, and insignificant." Willis sighed looking at his reflection. "The waves and ripples of water, virtually identical to the one before and the one after, indistinguishable. According to Genesis, God hovered across the waters of the Earth before creating light - waves since the beginning of creation and waves will long continue after our deaths. It shows us how truly mortal we are."  
  
Through the reflection of the water Willis saw the images of his nightmare, of the destruction of the Digital World, the same premonition over and over again. He looked at Takeru, his icy eyes piercing into his deep soul. "You've been having bad dreams for the last two nights haven't you?" He asked already knowing the answer. "A dream based on a memory five years ago." He added standing up.  
  
"How...how did you know?" He stuttered; Takeru had only told his mother of his dream, but never in detail.  
  
"Because I've been having the same reoccurring nightmares for the last two nights, though not identical to yours, but I think they're connected somehow." Willis replied emotionlessly.  
  
"What was yours about?" Takeru asked.  
  
Willis thought about telling Takeru about his dreams of destruction, but something inside told him that he shouldn't. "My dreams are not meant for you to know." He sighed thinking how he should continue. "I have a message for you T.K." Willis replied nonchalantly getting down to his business.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's a question." Willis replied. "A question that shouldn't be answered lightly or fleetingly." He warned sternly.  
  
"Okay." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Before I ask you my question, I need to know a few things first." Willis sighed. "What is the nature of your promise to Sora five years ago and the promise to the late Mr. Kamiya you made three mounts ago?" He asked.  
  
Takeru looked at Willis and wondered how he knew things that only a handful of people knew. He looked into his icy blue eyes and was compelled to answer. "I made a promise a long time ago that I'll always protect Kari and I plan to do so until I become redundant in her life." Takeru replied suspiciously.  
  
"I thought so." Willis replied with ominous confidence. "Tell me something T.K. how serious are you about keeping this promise of yours?" He asked.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Are you willing to protect Kari at any cost? To sacrifice all you hold dear, go to Hell and back, and even die for her for the sake of your promise, especially when you feel redundant?" Willis explained.  
  
"Where are you going with this?"  
  
"Just answer the question."  
  
"If need be, yes." Takeru answered still puzzled.  
  
"Good." Willis smiled, he got up. "Because you might have to." He said starting to leave.  
  
"Wait...what do you mean?"  
  
"You have answered my question. My role is finish here." He said walking off.  
  
"Not so fast." Takeru put his hand on his shoulder stopping him. "I answered your question now at least you can answer some of mine." Takeru replied; his voice a little louder then he would have liked. "What do you mean by I might have to go through all that to protect Kari? Is she in danger?" He gasped with fear.  
  
Willis stopped and hesitantly turned to answer that question. "Let's just say that being the bearer of the digimantle of fate, of destiny could be a heavy burden." He replied enigmatically. "Then again, being the bearer of hope and the bearer of light is no picnic either." He exasperated.  
  
The answer was ambiguous at best; undecipherable at worse, but then it hit him like lighting in a summer storm. It was the mentioning of their digimantles that did it for him. "Wait a minute are you saying that you could see the future?" Takeru gasped.  
  
"Not exactly." Willis answered. "I could see glimpses of possible futures. Trust me when I tell you that you would have to go through those trials to protect Kari. I'm positive about it, just like I'm certain that you and Kari are destined to be together." He pointed out.  
  
"I'm flattered you think so, but that's impossible, she's with Davis now."  
  
Willis chuckled to himself; he couldn't blame Takeru for not thinking fourth dimensionally. "I didn't mean that you'd get married tomorrow." Willis teased. "You may not have romantic feelings for each other now. You may even be seeing other people, perhaps several other people. You may even get together and break-up a thousand times, or even move across the world, or even marry other people twenty-five years from now, but trust me - you and Kari are destined to be with each other."  
  
"You would excuse me if I don't believe you." Takeru sighed returning his gaze to the lake. "I'm not the type of person that believes that my future is written in stone." He sighed. "No insult intended."  
  
"None taken." Willis sighed. "For a long time I was very much like you. I didn't believe in my "gift" either." He sighed. "But slowly I learn to accept that no one can escape fate." He sighed. "You know most people think of time as linear, perhaps that's for the best, but as for me I think it's fluidic." He sighed.  
  
"Fluidic?"  
  
"Imagine time as a river, it starts at the snow-capped mountain peaks and flow downhill with a vengeance in it youth and slows down at middle age, meandering through the land with one common destination the ocean."  
  
Willis headed towards the willow tree and gently tore a leaf. "Now imagine that you're a traveler on this river." He demonstrated putting the leaf gently in the water and watched it float towards the mouth of the lake. "Riding the waves, rapids, rivulets, and waterfalls of life."  
  
In his peripheral vision he caught a smooth stone, he walked towards it and picked it up, examining it. "And not unlike life, an outside force, be it luck, fate, God or coincidence would often throw obstacles in our lives." He replied skipping the stone. They watched it as it knick the leaf forcing it to move in another direction. "And thus change destiny for the traveler." He sighed.  
  
"With each decision we make it can potentially put us on a different path so you're part right when you say our future isn't written in stone because we can't be sure which path we're on, but I'm also right because of the common destination, the ocean." Willis sighed. "Paradoxical isn't it? Predestination and chance being both correct and wrong." He sighed.  
  
"So you're telling me Kari's my ocean."  
  
"Now you're getting it." Willis smiled. "You could take the direct route or the scenic route to your destiny, but no matter what you can't escape your fate." He pointed out. Willis sighed, looking at Takeru and smiled. "Thank you T.K."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"It's not often for me to give good news, it's usually dire warnings and vague predictions." Willis sighed. "Sometimes having this gift feels so much like a burden." He sighed.  
  
"Is that why you reverted back to your lone-wolf days?"  
  
"Talking to Michael haven't we?"  
  
"No, but it doesn't take a genius to know he's genuinely worried about you." Takeru sighed. "I deduced your isolation from your actions or rather inaction today. You were acting like a recluse, excluding yourself from playing soccer, skipping lunch and hardly talking to anyone. Even in a mist of a crowd you manage to separate yourself." Takeru pointed out.  
  
"You don't understand T.K. my powers intensify when I'm around people; it's like picking up psychic impressions from those around me. The more people I'm around the more visions I see. Do you know how it feels to constantly see people's deaths, accidents and woes? Seeing the people I love and care about getting hurt?" Willis pointed out abruptly. "Trust me it's better that I stay away from people." He pouted.  
  
"Perhaps this gift of yours could help people in a way you can't see."  
  
"I thought about that." Willis sighed. "Once I saved a fellow digidestined from dying and by doing so ten innocent lives were lost. Fate it seems is not without a sense of humour." He sighed. "In the year I became the bearer of fate and received this gift I can tell you one thing: You can't cheat fate." He replied sheepishly. He took a deep breath and recollected his thoughts. "Trust me T.K. I'm destined to be alone just as you are destined to be with Kari." He sighed walking away.  
  
"Willis there is a problem with your fluidic time theory." Takeru pointed out.  
  
Willis turned around suddenly. "What?"  
  
Takeru smiled knowing that would get his attention. "Before my parents got a divorce my father would take my brother and I fishing every summer for about a week. We would drive to what my father would call his super secret lake to fish. In my lifetime we only went four times, my brother being older went there seven times, but I could only remember the last time I went there being so young." Takeru sighed.  
  
"I remember the first time I saw that lake, that is the first time I saw it and could form a coherent sentence. It was so huge and vast that I mistaken it for the ocean. My father chuckled and told me it was a lake. Yet to me it didn't make any difference because I couldn't see where it end." Takeru pointed out.  
  
"Just because you can't see the end doesn't mean it's not there." Willis interrupted impatiently.  
  
"My point exactly." Takeru smiled. "Perception is the key, perhaps this ocean of lonesomeness of yours is not an ocean at all, but a real big lake. So vast and so huge that you think it's an ocean and probably convinced yourself that it is so you dropped anchor and await your final destiny." He pointed out.  
  
"So you're saying that in all this time I thought I reached my ocean, my destiny, but instead tricked myself into taking a very long scenic route." Willis pointed out. "A very interesting concept. I never thought of that."  
  
"Look Willis I'm not saying that you haven't reach your ocean, I don't know that for sure perhaps you have." Takeru sighed. "But the idea of giving up to find out whether your ocean is not a lake is just ludicrous." Takeru sighed. "Willis just because we're given a certain destiny doesn't mean we can't fight it."  
  
"Like you're fighting your destiny to be with Kari?"  
  
"Touché." Takeru smiled.  
  
Willis chuckled at his answer. "Thank T.K. for renewing my hope." He smiled extending his hand. "I guess...fate has made the right choice giving you the digimantle of hope." He smiled.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself shaking his hand. "Sure take all the credit for it." He replied sarcastically. "So how about a game of hide and go seek? I think Patamon is planning one."  
  
"Sounds like fun, albeit juvenile." Willis smiled.  
  
"Humour him, it's his favourite game." Takeru smiled.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Koushiro Izumi's room was quiet except with the ticking of the clock in his room. The last lazy rays of the sun was slowly creeping away from the room, engulfing objects in the room in the fiery orange and red glow. It was silent, except for the passage of time. The clock chimed six o'clock, the sound of time moving inexorably onward. The night had already begun and would move all too swiftly to its inevitable conclusion.  
  
Then in a blink of an eye chaos happened, not unlike many catastrophes before. A bright white light emanated from the quiet computer screen where twelve bodies were haphazardly thrown into the real world. Bodies were heaped on top of others in a violent, echoing crash.  
  
"Why is it so easy to get into the Digital World, but coming out of it is a different story?" Taichi asked.  
  
"I don't know." Koushiro answered. "Perhaps I could work up a program that would transfer us safely back." He groaned in pain.  
  
Suddenly the quiet room was filled with screams and clamour of people trying to get out simultaneously. Order was generally restored while everyone quickly said his or her good byes to Koushiro and his parents who just returned from their weekend trip. They went downstairs where everyone said their good byes to each other.  
  
"Hey Kari!" Daisuke ran towards her. "Do you need an escort home?" He enthusiastically asked.  
  
"Actually, Davis if you don't mind I have to talk to Kari alone." Taichi interrupted.  
  
"Sure, no problem." Daisuke smiled. "I'll call you tonight." He said running off towards his home waving.  
  
"Okay, I'll be waiting." Hikari waved watching him run away.  
  
"Ready lover girl?" Taichi teased.  
  
"Let's go." Hikari exasperated leading the way home; Taichi quickly caught up to her then slowed his pace to match hers. "You know Tai, if you did this just to prevent Davis from kissing me, you know one day we will." She pointed out.  
  
"I suspect that you already have."  
  
"Why would you say that?"  
  
"I know you." Taichi sighed. "And I know Davis, he and I are not all that different." He pointed out. "So how was the kiss?"  
  
"No comment." She smiled. "Tai could I ask you something?" She asked quickly changing the subject.  
  
"It's nothing sexual is it?" He tentatively asked feeling that it was one of those questions.  
  
"No." Hikari reassured sternly.  
  
"Oh, in that case, always." He smiled feeling relieved.  
  
"Where you surprised when you found out that Davis and I were going out with each other?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Not really." Taichi sighed. "Davis is rather persistent, I knew he'll get a date with you sooner or later." He sighed.  
  
"Oh." Hikari sighed. "Would you be surprise if I told you that I was thinking that we should be exclusive." She frailly asked.  
  
"A little." He sighed. "But why would you care how I feel?"  
  
"It's not that." Hikari sighed. "I told the girls this morning that Davis and I were seeing each other and they were shocked to hear that." She sighed. "They thought that T.K. and I would end up together, even Gatomon and their digimons thought that. I was wondering if you felt the same way." Hikari sighed.  
  
"I'll confess that I fall under that same prejudice." Taichi admitted. "Ever since you two were kids you were inseparable, where T.K. was you weren't too far behind. Then you have not one, but two adventures in the Digital World that bonded you more then any regular relationship." He pointed out. "Look Kari, I'm sure that if Davis came first in your life they'll probably act the same way if you announced that you were going out with T.K." He pointed out.  
  
"Do you really think so?"  
  
"Maybe." Taichi sighed. "I'm not too good with the hypothetical."  
  
"I see."  
  
"Listen Kari, it doesn't matter what the girls or what I think about who you should date, if you love Davis be with him. All that matters is how you feel towards the person you're with be it Davis or the man in the moon." Taichi pointed out.  
  
"Yeah I guess you're right." Hikari smiled. "Thanks."  
  
"Hey, no problem, what are brothers for?" He asked rhetorically. There was a moment of silence that changed the mood of the moment. "Hey Kari, the reason I wanted to walk you home was to apologize for our fight in the Digital World." He exasperated.  
  
"You promised that you wouldn't fight."  
  
"I said that I'll try not to get in a fight with Matt or Sora and I didn't." Taichi pointed out. "I had a fight with you."  
  
"It's all semantics and you know it." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Regardless, I am sorry. I don't know why I even did it. Perhaps it's seeing Matt and Sora together that brought up all the bad memories and I unleashed it on you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call you a traitor, of course you and Matt could be friend, I don't know why you would want to, but I can't tell you who your friends should be. I guess you could choose worse company though I can't image it for the likes of me." He sighed.  
  
Hikari chuckled to herself. "That could be the worse apology from you in history." She smiled. "But regardless, you're forgiven." Hikari replied sighing in hopes to change the mood of the conversation. "Tai would you and Matt ever be friends again?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Yeah." Taichi sounded genuine. "When Hell comes to Earth." With that addendum killing all the sincerity from the pervious statement.  
  
She exasperated. "You're incorrigible."  
  
"In all seriousness, perhaps it's not time. I mean we did try today."  
  
Hikari stopped her brother and stared into his brown eyes. "Have you?"  
  
Taichi looked at his sister and studied the seriousness of her eyes. "Let's go home." He whispered taking the lead.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
It was twilight in the city that never sleeps and true to reputation the sounds of taxis racing and cars honking still give testimony that the city was very much awake, it was four in the morning, but the city didn't care. So the bright light that emanated from the computer and the sound of tossing three adolescences to the floor just added to the ambient sound.  
  
Mimi hushed the boys to stay quiet. "Willis I hope you don't mind, but I told Michael that he could bunk here with you in the extra bed, because it's so late." She whispered.  
  
"I don't mind." Willis sighed.  
  
"Good." Mimi smiled. "Good night and behave." She whispered back tiptoeing back into her room hoping not to wake her parents.  
  
The boys chuckled to themselves and got ready for bed. "So I assume you delivered your message?" Michael asked getting into bed.  
  
"Yeah." Willis smiled heading to the window and watched the Hudson River. "And surprisingly I got one myself."  
  
"Then I'm assuming that in the morning you'll be leaving us again?"  
  
"No. I think I'm going to stay and see where this river takes me." He sighed.  
  
Michael was shocked to hear the news that he would be staying and joined Willis at the window. "What the Hudson River? It leads into the Atlantic Ocean." He answered the rather simple question.  
  
"Does it?" Willis smiled to himself. "Perhaps the Atlantic Ocean is just another lake." He sighed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind." Willis sighed smiling at Michael. "Good night, Michael." He said going to his bed.  
  
"A puzzle, wrapped in an riddle, locked in a enigma, buried under a conundrum with the key and map thrown away he is." Michael muttered under his breath shaking his head.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Daisuke was glad that Yamato found his wallet because the pot Flamedramon ruined was very expensive, but since he had the money he was able to replace it by buying a new pot in hopes to escape his mother's wrath.  
  
He was also feeling quite depressed, all three dates with Hikari didn't go as planned. Their first date didn't go as well as he planned losing his wallet, nor did the second when Takeru and Chastity joined them, and the third; well the third was a total disaster.  
  
"I'm such a loser." He exasperated under his breath. Hikari was forgivingly and gracious enough to put up with him over the past three dates. 'But how much longer would she put up with me?' He thought to himself. He was so distraught that he couldn't ask Hikari out on another date or to be his girlfriend. 'I have to do something to show her how much I love her.' He thought with determination.  
  
In the corner of his eye he caught something in the store window that he was passing by. 'Yeah, that's what I'll do.' He smiled going into the jewelry store. He surveyed the trinkets inside the glass cases.  
  
"May I help you?" The salesperson asked.  
  
"How much is that pendent?" He asked pointing to it.  
  
The salesperson quoted the price, which he was ecstatic to find that it was within his price range. "Could I see that?" Daisuke asked. She took it out of the case and showed it to him. "Could I have something engraved on it?" He asked.  
  
"We charged by the letter."  
  
"Actually it's more of a design." Daisuke corrected.  
  
"Then the price will depend on the complexity of the design."  
  
"Okay." Daisuke sighed. "How much would something like this cost?" He said drawing two symbols on the reverse of the business card he grabbed. The salesperson quoted a price, which he found rather fair. "So is it possible to pick this up tomorrow morning?" He asked.  
  
"Not a problem." She smiled. "Shall I ring this up?"  
  
"Please." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Is this for your girlfriend?" She asked punching the series of numbers in.  
  
"I hope so." Daisuke sighed. "I'm going to ask her tomorrow."  
  
"Well I hope she says yes. You're such a nice man."  
  
"From your lips..." Daisuke smiled pulling out his wallet.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Nancy Takaishi waited impatiently for her son to return home. She knew that her son was going into the Digital World for a reunion which five years ago she would have been afraid to hear. Yet she wasn't worried about that, over the years she came to accept that part of her son's life and tried not to think about the carnage that may happen there.  
  
Takeru promised to be back in their world by six and told her that he may sleep over at his brother's place. Her heart was racing; she had exciting and damning news to tell her son. She didn't know what to do at first she was sitting, but being so excited she couldn't so she'll started pacing, then she will get tired and sit and the whole vicious circle starts over again when she gets too excited for sitting.  
  
She had left a message on the machine asking Takeru to come home as soon as possible. Shortly after half past six Takeru called home in a fright. Apparently, her message on the machine scared her youngest child. She reassured him that she was okay, but she wanted him to come home so she could talk to him. She further reassured that Takeru didn't do anything wrong and that he wasn't in trouble answering her son's second question. With a sigh of relief Takeru hung up the phone saying that he would come home as soon as possible.  
  
That was twenty minutes ago and four phone calls ago. She exasperated and picked up the phone dialling a series of number. The phone rang three times before it was picked up.  
  
"Hello?" Yamato answered.  
  
"Hi Matt, it's your mother."  
  
"Hi Mom." Yamato sighed. "Yes T.K. left fifteen minutes ago and no I don't know how much longer he'll be." He exasperated.  
  
"Thanks Matt." She sighed hanging up the phone. Nancy couldn't blame her son for being so frustrated after all that was the fifth time she called. She hung up the cordless and continued pacing. Her heart jumped with excitement when she heard the jingling of keys.  
  
She rushed to the door and opened it before Takeru could put his key in. "Are you sure you're okay mom?" He asked concerned by his mother's impatience.  
  
"Yeah fine." Nancy quickly answered. "What took you so long?"  
  
"Mom, relax it usually takes me twenty minutes to get home when I run." Takeru reassured catching his breath. "Are you sure you okay?" He reiterated his question heading towards the kitchen grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator.  
  
"Yeah." She sighed. "It's just that I have some good news and some bad news now. Which do you want to hear first?" She hesitantly asked.  
  
"Good." Takeru sighed. "I'm too emotionally draught to handle anything bad." He sighed sitting on the chesterfield waiting for his mother to tell him what was so urgent that he was forced to come home.  
  
"You know that article that I've been working on?"  
  
"The toilet paper story?"  
  
"Yeah." Nancy smiled. "Well my boss loved it so much that he gave me a promotion as head editor." She announced.  
  
"That's great mom!" He smiled jumping off the chesterfield. "Congratulations." He said giving his mother a hug. "We have to do something to celebrate." His good demeanour suddenly was quashed by the look in his mother's eyes. "Mom, what's the bad news?" He sheepishly asked.  
  
"The job is in New York."  
  
His mother could literally see her son's heart sink. He took a couple of paces away from her and took a sigh. His silence pained her. "So what did you decide?" He finally asked sombrely.  
  
"I told my boss to let me sleep on it." Nancy replied. "I wanted to run this by you first before giving my answer." She sighed. "Normally, this decision would be easy for me, but now that you're older I think you should be apart of this decision." She explained.  
  
"And if I want to stay here?"  
  
"Then I'll turn down the job." His mother replied.  
  
That made the decision that much harder for him. 'Should I defy destiny?' He thought remembering what Willis said to him earlier that afternoon. He looked at his mother who was waiting patiently for his answer. "What do you want mom?"  
  
"I want whatever makes you happy."  
  
"But mom you always dreamed to be an editor. Are you willing to sacrifice that for how I feel?" Takeru asked, trying to find a way to escape this decision.  
  
"In a heartbeat." She smiled. "Look Takeru, I know this is a difficult decision so take your time, don't rush into it. I'll ask you again in the morning." Nancy said getting up.  
  
"Mom." Takeru said confidently. "Take the job."  
  
"Are you sure?" Nancy asked. "What about your friends, your father, Matt, Kari?" She asked wanting validity from her son. She knew that he had done noble, selfless acts in the past that compromise how he felt, his heart.  
  
"Yes I'm sure." He smiled. "I'll make new friends, I already have some in New York, plus dad and Matt would understand." Takeru sighed.  
  
"And what about Kari?"  
  
"I think it's the best."  
  
"For her or for you?" Nancy asked. "Son, I don't want you to use my promotion as an excuse to run away from your feelings or your problems." She pointed out.  
  
Takeru took a sigh thinking what his mother had told him. "Mom I assure you that Kari was not a factor when I made this decision. I made the decision because it was the right one to make. As for running away from my problems, I don't see it like that, besides mom if our love was meant to be, it'll find a way to work out, even through my stubbornness." He smiled reassuringly.  
  
Nancy chuckled to herself. "Just like your father." She sighed. "All right I'll call my boss now." She said dialling the number. Half of him hoped that her boss changed his mind, but his rational side knew the opposite. Takeru heard his mother accepting the job with gusto and zeal. He knew he did the right thing, though sometimes the right thing invariably hurt. The conversation seem to drag and droll on for an eternity. He couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
He headed toward the balcony in his room overlooking the vesper-lit city. He took a deep breath tattooing this scene into his memory; he wanted to remember this forever. He just realized the ramifications of doing the right thing and the fact he did the right thing gave him little comfort.  
  
"Hey it's official, we're moving to New York." His mother sighed playfully hitting him on the shoulder with the cordless.  
  
"When do we leave?"  
  
"A week."  
  
Takeru looked at his mother with shock, he expected more time. "That soon." He gasped. "I thought we have more time here." He sighed.  
  
"I could arrange it with your father if you want to stay the summer."  
  
"No might as well expect the inevitable."  
  
"Please contain yourself. Your over-zealousness is embarrassing." His mother sarcastically teased.  
  
"I'm sorry mom." Takeru sighed. "I'm happy, really, it's just that it's been an emotionally draining day." He sighed.  
  
"Want to talk about it?"  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "But first I like to talk to..."  
  
"Kari?" His mother completed his thought slapping the phone in his hand. "I'll give you some privacy." She smiled leaving the balcony.  
  
Takeru thanked his mother and stared at the phone like it was a foreign object. He was hesitant to call her. 'Mom was right; I am running away from her - no longer. I have to tell her that I love her, no matter the consequence.' He sighed dialling her number.  
  
"Davis?" Hikari answered.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you."  
  
"T.K. I'm sorry I thought you were Davis he promised to call."  
  
"Evidently." Takeru sighed.  
  
Hikari knew that inflection in his voice. "T.K. what's wrong?" She gasped and then started to ask a series of questions concerning his well-being.  
  
"Kari, I'm fine. I just really need a best friend to talk to now."  
  
"I'm listening." Hikari replied with concern.  
  
"Actually it's something I have to say in person. I know its short notice but could we talk sometime tomorrow?" He asked. "I have a couple of things that's rather important to tell you." He exasperated.  
  
"All right, how about tomorrow at noon our spot? I'll bring some lunch."  
  
"Sounds perfect." Takeru smiled. "I'll see you then." He smiled hanging up the phone. He exasperated looking at the phone. "Now how in the world am I suppose to tell you that I love you and that I'm leaving you all in the same day?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Yamato's quote: "There is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." is anonymous. [3] When talking to Takeru Willis referred to a quote in the bible, that verse is Genesis 1:2. [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



	6. Promises and Oaths.

THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...  
By Stiltzkin  
  
Author's Note: Before I begin I like to thank the reviewer that wrote in their review to write this [story] for myself and let it take me where it wants to go. For the last few chapters I haven't been doing that, instead I have been writing to please two groups. For that reason writing this series became more of a burden then a joy to write to the point where I considered stop writing this story all together, but now I write where my Muse points. I know I have to disappoint one group sooner or later, and by the end of this chapter one of them would.  
  
The moment I'd posted the previous chapter I instantly regretted putting Willis' prophecy in it. Call it a moment of fleeting sanity, but at the time it seemed like a good idea, but as soon as I posted it I found it clichéd, trite and a bad idea, hindsight is always twenty-twenty. I considered revising it, but I didn't find it fair to do so, no I made my bed and now I have to sleep in it. I also considered posting a note in this introduction to make it apocryphal, but that too wouldn't be fair. Oh well, as Dorris Day might say, que sera sera.  
  
The prophecy isn't all that bad it does gives me direction, albeit the destination is still an unknown, the flip side is I no longer have the latitude that I once had with the characters. My challenge is: I have to find a plausible way to intricate Takeru's dream with Willis' apocalyptic one and his prophecy, that is the first part, not the second where Willis predicted that Hikari and Takeru were destined to be together. The story itself would end when Takeru leaves for America (that too is still up in the air) and that particular thread would be left unanswered. Furthermore the prophecy itself would be a tertiary element in the story and I'll try not to put too much emphasis on it. Once again, enjoy.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"In the arithmetic of love,  
one plus one equals everything,  
and two minus one equals nothing."  
  
- Mignon McLaughlin  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER SIX: PROMISES AND OATHS.  
  
Daisuke Motomiya was too excited to sleep; his plan to totally win over Hikari Kamiya totally consumed him. He knew that he needed sleep or he would pay the consequences later on in the day. Flopping on his bed he started to count sheep, he reached thirty-five before giving up. For the rest of the night he paced in his room to get tired, to no success.  
  
His alarm clock blared with a vengeance, Daisuke rushed towards the alarm turning it off and in one swift motion picked up the phone and started dialling. He anxiously waited for the other end to answer. On the fifth ring, the phone picked up. "Hello, this is Davis Motomiya I came by yesterday evening and bought a necklace to have engraved. I was wondering when I could pick it up?" He asked waiting for the response. "An hour? Great I'll pick it up then." He said hanging up the phone.  
  
"Yes!" He rejoiced doing a back flip in celebration. "Everything is coming along perfectly!" He gasped. "Just two more phone calls." He smiled picking up the phone.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Taichi and Hikari were anxiously looking at each other from across the table. Their legs kept shaking underneath the kitchen table with apprehension. Their mother was experimenting with a new dish again, which scared them because they were often her guinea pigs. "Umm...Mom, what are you making?" Hikari asked with trepidation. The smell was making her nauseous; she looked at her brother and saw the green tinge on his skin.  
  
"Liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce." Their mother proudly announced. "The lady that came into my Health Food store told me that they go great with my beef jerky shakes you love so much." She added.  
  
Taichi and Hikari had a rule of thumb to measure how adverse their mother's concoctions would taste. The longer the title of the dish the worse it would taste. When Taichi heard the title he almost had a cardiac.  
  
"Umm...Mom I'm suddenly not feeling hungry." Taichi sheepishly declared.  
  
His mother started to chuckle. "Oh, Tai sometimes you can be so funny." She replied not believing in her son. "You say that like you don't like my cooking." She smiled.  
  
"Yeah...I'm a real...comedian." Taichi sarcastically agreed.  
  
Suddenly the telephone rang. "It's for me!" They answered in unison dashing out of the kitchen like a bullet. They wrestled for the receiver for a couple of seconds when the cordless slipped out of Taichi hands and into Hikari's.  
  
"Hello?" Hikari panted out of breath.  
  
"Hey Kari it's Davis."  
  
"Hi Davis." Hikari pronounced to her brother sticking out her tongue. "You're my hero." She smiled watching Taichi walking back to the kitchen.  
  
"Really?" He gasped, then realized what she said and quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, of course I am." He proudly stated.  
  
Hikari chuckled softly to herself. "What is it that you want?" She smiled.  
  
"I forgot to ask you last night when I called, but my family is having a picnic today at noon and I was wondering if you would like to come." Daisuke asked.  
  
"Noon?" Hikari asked with trepidation. "I'm sorry Davis, I already have plans. I love to have dinner with your family, or even better breakfast with you. If I have breakfast with you I'll be eternally grateful." She begged.  
  
"Sorry Kari, I have plans for breakfast." He reluctantly told her. "But dinner sounds good you can come over at six if you like." Daisuke offered.  
  
Hikari sighed with defeat. "I'll be there at six." She smiled.  
  
"Great." Daisuke was beaming. "Could I speak with Tai?"  
  
"Tai? Sure." She gasped confused why Daisuke would want to talk to her brother. "Tai! Davis wants to talk to you." She bellowed.  
  
Taichi dashed out of the kitchen breaking the hundred-meter dash record and grabbed the cordless like it was a baton. "Davis man, you are so my hero." He gasped. Hikari chuckled to herself; she stayed by her brother wondering what Daisuke wanted with him.  
  
"What's up with you two?" Daisuke asked. "Never mind." He sighed. "I know it's short notice but I need to talk to you." He sighed.  
  
"Take as long as you like. The longer the better."  
  
"Actually I need to talk to you in person." He sighed. "Do you think you can meet me at Sometaro for breakfast my treat?" He feebly asked.  
  
"Breakfast?" Taichi gasped. "Sure I can make it to breakfast! Man, you're not my hero, you're my saviour." Taichi cried with joy dropping the phone. "Mom, can't stay Davis is buying me breakfast." He said dashing out the door so his mother wouldn't object.  
  
Hikari gasped picking up the phone. "Davis if you truly love me you'll treat me to breakfast too." She said, but alas Daisuke had hung up.  
  
"What was that?" Their mother bellowed from the kitchen.  
  
"Tai had to go." Hikari replied. "That lucky scoundrel." She mumbled under her breath heading for the kitchen.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The morning zephyr osculated his saturated naked torso; the breeze gently played with his golden hair. His heart was still beating rhythmically like African tribal drums and the bitter taste of adrenaline still stuck on his tongue. The memory of his reoccurring nightmare was still rummaging around his conscious mind.  
  
The thought of his discussion with Willis yesterday was quickly expunged from his mind when the morning star twinkled out. Morning has broken and the larks were already singing their early song. Moving away, perhaps never to return had a strange effect on people, they become more nostalgic, every second seemed more intense and more important, time seems to flow more slowly and each moment treasured for it may be the last. It was no different for Takeru Takaishi he wanted to remember every second, every nuance, and every detail of the sunrise from his balcony so he would remember it forever.  
  
He was so lost and enraptured with his thoughts that he didn't hear the telephone ringing in the background. Although his senses were in a state of hypersensitivity his mind was very selective to what he wanted to remember. His mother's hand on his shoulder startled him.  
  
"It's for you, it's Davis." His mother smiled offering the cordless to him.  
  
"Davis?" Takeru was genuinely surprised. "What's he doing up before noon?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
"I didn't ask." His mother replied. "All he said was he wanted to talk to you." His mother sighed.  
  
"I don't want to talk to him." He sighed.  
  
"Takeru." His mother sternly replied pointing the phone to his face.  
  
He exasperated and took the phone. "Hey Davis what's up?" He asked. In his peripheral vision he saw his mother wanting to leave to give him some privacy. He quickly, but gently stopped her from leaving by gripping her arm. It was his silent way of telling her that he wanted her to stay.  
  
"Hey T.K." After two years of getting his name wrong, he finally gets it right, though he suspects that Hikari had some doing in that. It was still strange to hear his name emanating from his mouth. Part of him wished that he still called him T.A. or something like that. "Meet me at Sometaro in an hour for breakfast my treat." He demanded.  
  
"What ever for?" Takeru sounded confused.  
  
"Just be there. It's important I have something to show you." He exasperated hanging up the phone so Takeru couldn't argue with him edgewise. Takeru turned off the phone and looked at it contemplating. 'What are you up to Davis Motomiya?' He thought.  
  
"Something wrong son?" His mother asked.  
  
Takeru came out of his thoughts and sighed. "No, Davis just wanted to have breakfast with me." He sighed still in confusion.  
  
"Oh that's very thoughtful of him." His mother replied.  
  
"Too thoughtful." Takeru replied feeling sceptical about the whole meeting.  
  
"You sound suspicious."  
  
"It's just out of character for Davis that's all."  
  
"People do change."  
  
"Apparently." Takeru sighed. "There's a first for anything."  
  
"So what do you want to talk about besides doing a character assassination of Daisuke Motomiya?" His mother asked.  
  
"Isn't that enough?" He teased.  
  
"Takeru." His mother said sternly.  
  
"All right, all right." He sighed surrendered. "I'm going to tell Kari my feelings today." He finally sighed.  
  
"You are?" His mother gasped.  
  
"Yeah, you sound surprised."  
  
"I am." She confessed. "What changed your mind?"  
  
"Last night when you announced that we were moving to New York, you asked me if I was using your promotion as an excuse for running away. At first I wanted to go because it was the right thing to do, but then last night I looked beyond the visceral and realized that I was running away." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" His mother asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "If she doesn't feel the same way, at least I know how she feels and in doing so I would have complete closure." He sighed.  
  
"A very enlightened view." She sighed. "What about your promises that prevented you from telling the last time we have this discussion?" She pointed out.  
  
"Why are you suddenly discouraging me from telling Kari my feelings?"  
  
"Because two days ago, on this very balcony, you told me that you rather live a life full of regret then rejection..."  
  
"It's because two days ago, I couldn't conceive that we would be moving half way across the world!" Takeru exasperated; his voice a louder then he would have liked. "I'm sorry." He apologized for his outburst.  
  
"It's okay." His mother quickly forgiven. "Please continue."  
  
Takeru sighed. "It's just that two days ago I thought my time here in Odaiba was indefinite." He sighed. "I was being a little presumptuous by saying I was willing to live a life full of regret. In reality, I was willing to live a life of regret for a short time, perhaps a couple of days, a week, month, maybe a couple of years whenever Kari is no longer seeing anyone so I could tell her my feelings then. I'm twelve years old I could afford to wait for Kari for a couple of years." Takeru explained.  
  
"Ah...I see now that we've moving away, your time is finite."  
  
"You can say that." Takeru smiled. "We moving away to New York, probably never to return...I can't live a lifetime not knowing and damn the consequences and after-effects." He sighed.  
  
"And your promises? You were so adamant in keeping them."  
  
"I'm still am." Takeru sighed with frustration. "I wish I could do both, tell her my feelings and be able to keep my promises." He sighed.  
  
"What is this promise of yours?"  
  
"I can't say." Takeru sighed. "It's nothing bad I promise, it's just in this particular case it compromises my heart." He reassured his mother.  
  
"Then you must prioritize which is more important, this promise of yours or your heart?" His mother advised.  
  
"Hypothetically speaking, how would you prioritize a person's dying wish?" Takeru asked already dreading the answer.  
  
"I'll try everything within my powers to complete them. Why? Is this hypothetical death wish not so hypothetical?" His mother asked.  
  
"Let's just say that it's the only major obstacle standing in my way from telling Kari my feelings." Takeru sighed.  
  
"I see so it's compromising your heart or breaking your oath to the dead?" His mother sighed. "I don't envy your decision." She sighed. "So what are you going to do?" She asked.  
  
The suddenly an epiphany hit him, a new contingency he haven't considered. "I'm going to ask the next of kin for permission to break my promise. I just hope the dead would agree." He smiled. "I've better get going, I have to meet Davis for breakfast." He sighed. "Thanks for the talk mom." He smiled leaving.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Sometaro is a quaint small restaurant specializing in Japanese pancakes, the building exterior is unpretentious but on the inside it looked surprising like Digitamamon's Diner except that in the middle of booths there were hotplates for self-serving pancakes.  
  
The pancakes are savoury and delectable not to mention filling with several choices for ingredients, but more importantly since Daisuke was treating it was inexpensive, which is probably the reason he choose this particular restaurant.  
  
Takeru almost missed the restaurant because there was no formal sign indicating that it was a place of business. He had almost forgotten that there was a bamboo-fenced garden and lantern outside to indicate the restaurant. Takeru crossed the threshold and circumspect the humble restaurant. To his surprise he saw Taichi sitting in one of the booths.  
  
"Your mother's experimenting with breakfast again?" Takeru teased.  
  
Taichi was surprised to see Takeru. "T.K." He smiled. "Yes, she is, thank God I found an excuse to escape." He beamed.  
  
"So is Kari with you?" He asked hoping to she her.  
  
"No, she couldn't find an excuse to get out of the house." Taichi gloated.  
  
"Sounds ruthless of you not to include her in your plans." Takeru added.  
  
"Well Davis didn't invite her." Taichi smiled. "He invited me, I would ask you to sit, but I think Davis wanted to talk to me in private." He pointed out hating to break the young boy's heart.  
  
"Davis invited you too?" He asked sitting down across from the older boy. "Did he call you this morning and demand your presence?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Demand?" Taichi chuckled. "I was out the door when he mentioned that he was treating me for breakfast." He smiled.  
  
"Right, your mother's experimental cooking I forgot." Takeru sighed. "I wonder where he is, he's late."  
  
"So what else is new?" Taichi sighed. "I wonder what he wants with the both of us?" He sighed trying to find a connection.  
  
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad that we have some time alone." Takeru sighed. "I wanted to ask you something it's about the promise I made to your father on his deathbed." He sighed.  
  
"You're going to tell me my father's last words." Taichi gasped with delight. Like his sister and their mother they wanted to know his last words, but he couldn't tell them because of the promise Takeru made to the dying Kamiya on his deathbed.  
  
"Not exactly." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry, but you know I promised your father that I wouldn't tell anyone." He painfully reminded his companion.  
  
"Then why did you bring it up?" Taichi asked.  
  
"I was wondering if you'd allow me to break it." Takeru replied.  
  
"What?" Taichi gasped.  
  
"Hey guys thanks for coming." Daisuke greeted. "Sorry I'm late got held up at the engravers." He explained noticing the tense moment between the two men.  
  
"Engravers?" They asked in unison.  
  
"Yeah, but that can wait." Daisuke sighed. "Are you two okay? It looks like you two were about to kill each other before I came in." He asked concerned.  
  
"It's a private matter." Takeru sighed. "So why in the world did you drag us here for breakfast?" He tried to change the subject quickly.  
  
"Right I called you two here to ask you something." Daisuke grinned.  
  
"What is it?" Taichi asked.  
  
"We're listening." Takeru added.  
  
"I wanted to show you this first." Daisuke said giving the blue velvet box that he pulled out of his book bag to Taichi and waited patiently as he opened the box. "So what do you think?" He asked.  
  
"It's beautiful, but I'm not an appraiser so I know you didn't ask me here to look at jewellery. So what's this about?" Taichi said giving the box back to Daisuke. In turn he passed it to Takeru for him to look at it.  
  
"All in good time." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"It has the crest of courage on it." Takeru remarked. It was a beautiful twenty-four karat gold chain with a locket shaped in a half heart with the crest of courage engraved on it. "Where's the other half?" He asked.  
  
"Right here." Daisuke said leaning in to show Takeru the locket around his neck. Takeru delicately held the other half heart around his neck. "It's the crest of light." He gasped.  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke blushed. Takeru thought it odd to see him blushing. "I want to give this to Kari when I ask her to be my girlfriend." He explained taking back the box.  
  
"What?" Taichi's brotherly instincts kicked into overdrive.  
  
"Before you kill me, may I remind you that I'm paying for breakfast." Daisuke reminded quickly.  
  
"And he did get you out of your mother's experimental cooking this morning." Takeru reminded in Daisuke's defence. He was deeply pained by the shocking announcement that he didn't know how to react, but he did know one thing, he didn't want Taichi to kill him.  
  
"Okay." Taichi sighed reluctantly sitting back down. "So why are we here?"  
  
"I wanted to ask your blessing to be her boyfriend." Daisuke simple replied.  
  
"My blessing?" Taichi gasped with confusion.  
  
"Why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked. "I understand why you want Tai's blessing, but why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked trying to ignore the voice in his head that's telling him to say no, which increased the pain in heart by a hundred-fold.  
  
"Well Kari considers you one of three men in her life, the first was her father, the second is Tai, and the third person is you and I really appreciate if you give me your blessing." Daisuke sheepishly answered. "So what do you guy say?" He asked anticipating their answers.  
  
"What do you think T.K. should we give him our blessings?" Taichi meant the comment in jest to taunt Daisuke, but to Takeru he took him seriously. Taichi saw the look in his eye and knew that his sarcasm didn't get through to him and that he was genuinely pained by it. He wanted to apologize but he didn't feel right doing that in front of Daisuke.  
  
Takeru exasperated with frustration. 'Why is he asking me that?' He thought trying very hard to hold his pain. He turned to look at Daisuke and saw his brown eyes twinkle with hope. 'Oh God I have the power to make or break his day.' He thought. 'But what about Kari? What does she want?' He sighed.  
  
Takeru was trying to do three things, the first was to think of Hikari's needs and wants, the second was to hide the pain in his heart, and the third was to ignore the little voice in his head that told him to sabotage their relationship before it began.  
  
"Well?" Daisuke asked.  
  
He exasperated and took a deep breath. "Davis, I'm flattered that you wanted to ask my blessing to be with Kari, but you really don't need it. You don't need my permission or my blessing to go out with her. Kari has her own free will and has the right to decide whom she considers her boyfriend. She's not chattel Davis." Takeru sighed, he was stalling it was too painful for him to give the blessing first.  
  
"I know Kari's not a cow, she's an angel."  
  
Takeru exasperated. "Davis its chattel not cattle, chattel as in property." He explained.  
  
"Ah...whatever, I'm not in school." Daisuke protested. "Do you give me your blessing or not?" He sighed with a hint of frustration in his voice.  
  
"Yes Davis, if you want my blessing you have it, zealously, wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically." Takeru sighed overcompensating his true feelings hidden in his heart.  
  
"Great." Daisuke smiled giving Takeru an uncharacteristic hug. "Thank you." He beamed with joy. "How about you Tai? Do you give me your blessing?" He asked waiting for his answer.  
  
"As long as you don't hug me fine, you have my blessing." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Thanks." He beamed jubilantly. "I can't wait to ask her." He smiled like a child on Christmas morning.  
  
"When are you going to ask her?" Taichi asked calmly.  
  
"I wanted to ask her today at lunch at my family picnic, but she said that she had plans without someone. Do you know what she's doing?" Daisuke asked the older sibling.  
  
"No I don't." Taichi sighed.  
  
"I do." Takeru interrupted. "She's meeting with me." He replied, above a whisper. "I'm sorry that I intruded with your plans, but I really needed to talk to her in person about a personal problem. I just needed to talk to my best friend." He sighed. "If you want I could rearrange my schedule..." He was in too much pain to know what he was doing, all he could think of was to do the honourable thing.  
  
"No. She's coming over to dinner tonight, I think that's a better time to ask her any ways." Daisuke smiled, on any other average day he would be jealous that Hikari and Takeru would be meeting for a secret get together, but he was on cloud nine. "To be honest, it'll give me more time to prepare how I'm going to ask her." He smiled. "I just wish I knew how she'll answer." He smiled.  
  
"Don't worry Davis." Takeru sighed. "She's going to say yes."  
  
"How do you know?" Daisuke gasped with awe.  
  
"She told me yesterday in the Digital World before your walk in the woods that the next time you asked her to be your girlfriend that she'll probably say yes." Takeru sighed, it broke his heart to tell him that, but he knew that it'd make Hikari happy.  
  
"Really?" Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Yeah...just don't tell her that I'd told you." He sighed.  
  
"Thanks T.K." He smiled getting up. "I've got to go."  
  
"What about breakfast?" Taichi asked.  
  
"I'm too happy to eat." He said taking out his tan wallet and put enough money for the meal plus a generous tip on the table and without another word he left the humble restaurant.  
  
The air was still filled with awe when Daisuke left. Takeru looked at Taichi; he suddenly needed to be alone and unsurprisingly lost his appetite. "If you'll excuse me Tai, I'm suddenly not feeling very hungry." He sighed getting up.  
  
"Not so fast T.K." He stopped grabbing his wrist stopping him in his flight. "I wanted to apologize for earlier." He sighed. "I didn't mean to pass the responsibility to decide if Davis should get our blessing to you, I only meant it as a joke to keep Davis in suspense." He started to explain. "I thought you'll play along, but you took it seriously." Taichi sighed. "I'm very sorry."  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Kari's right, you're not very good at apologies, and you're forgiven." He smiled. "I really have to go." He sighed wanted to leave again.  
  
"Not so fast." Taichi stopped him again grabbing his wrist. "Why are you asking me to break the promise you made to my dying father?" He asked in a solemn tone.  
  
Takeru swore silently to himself. He had hoped that Taichi had forgotten about their previous discussion with all the excitement that Daisuke dropped that morning. He exasperated and wondered back into his seat drumming his index fingers on the edge of the table. "Some days I think the universe is conspiring against me." He finally sighed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Look before I begin this conversation never existed."  
  
"I can't promise anything without knowing what it is first." Taichi replied.  
  
"Then this conversation is over." Takeru said getting up.  
  
"Okay. I promise." Taichi exasperated. "But this better be good for asking what you just did." He sighed.  
  
"I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk to Kari this afternoon."  
  
"Yeah. You said that you needed a best friend."  
  
"Yeah for one part of the discussion."  
  
"And the other?"  
  
Takeru sighed taking a deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.  
  
"Which are?"  
  
"I love her." He rushed the words quickly, but Taichi heard all of them.  
  
Taichi contained his surprise within him. "You certainly picked a great time to tell her." He exasperated.  
  
"Now you know why I think the universe is conspiring against me." He sighed.  
  
"I doubt that." Taichi sighed. "Just probably picked a bad time to tell her that's all." He sighed. "But I don't understand how my father's dying request fit into your particular predicament." He said trying to get all the pieces to the puzzle together.  
  
"It's your father's dying wish that's preventing me to tell her."  
  
"I don't understand. You promise my father to never tell my sister that you love her?" He asked in a state of confusion. "My father would never ask anyone that." Taichi pointed out.  
  
"No, your quite correct your father didn't ask me that." Takeru reassured a son's faith in his father. "Let me clarify my previous statement. I can't tell Kari my feelings now in this present situation because of the promise I made your father." He sighed.  
  
"I see." Taichi sighed. "I wish I knew the specific of your promise." Takeru was about to interrupt, but Taichi stopped him. "I know you can't tell me nor do I expect you to." He sighed. "Wait a minute." A thought suddenly crept into his mind. "Why did you just give Davis your blessing to ask Kari to be his girlfriend?" He asked confused.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "She seems really happy being with him, and I love her enough to give her away." He added.  
  
Taichi was shocked to see the level of maturity in such a young man. "One more question why now? This is the worse possible time you could tell my sister your feelings." Taichi sighed.  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. "Normally I would have waited for a more opportune time, but I don't have much time left." He sighed enigmatically.  
  
"You're dying?" Taichi gasped fearing the worst.  
  
"No." Takeru quickly corrected. "I'm moving to New York in a week, probably never to return, my mom got a promotion so I have to go." He sighed. "But before I leave I have to know if my feelings for Kari are reciprocate and if not then at least I know and have complete closure, but in order to do that..."  
  
"You have to break my father's dying wish." Taichi sighed. "And so you came here to ask my permission to break it." He deduced.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Who says there's no more noble men left in the world?" Taichi asked rhetorically. "First Davis and now you." He sighed.  
  
"Well I guess we're a dying breed." Takeru sighed. "Tai, you don't have to give me permission." He sighed. "I don't think I'm going to tell her."  
  
"That you love her or that you're leaving?" Taichi asked.  
  
"The former." Takeru sighed.  
  
"I thought you might say that." Taichi sighed. "I guess it would be fruitless to ask you why." He sighed.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "They seem so happy to be together." He sighed. "Who am I to stand in the way of true love?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
"Who says she won't be happier with you?"  
  
"Did she say that?"  
  
"Well...it's mainly hypothetical."  
  
"Oh, I thought so." Takeru sighed crestfallen. "The fact of the matter is Kari sees me as a friend, while she's sees Davis as something more." He sighed.  
  
"It's because you didn't give her any other reason to change her mind."  
  
"And I'm not going to give her any reason to change her mind anytime soon." Takeru exasperated. "The fact of the matter is I was about to tell her about my feelings, that is until Davis made his announcement, now I'm just not so sure anymore." He sighed.  
  
"You still can." Taichi pointed out. "You're meeting Kari for lunch, Davis meeting her for dinner, which gives you a six hour advantage." He sighed.  
  
"Right after I set Davis up for victory and only to rob it from right under his nose at the last minute." Takeru sighed. "I wouldn't wish that fate on my enemies, not less Davis." He sighed.  
  
"That's also true." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "If you don't mind I'm not feeling particularly hungry and the truth of the matter is, I have this conversation one too many times this morning for my liking." He attempted to leave again.  
  
"I give you permission!" Taichi directed that comment at Takeru, but continued to make his breakfast.  
  
Takeru stopped in his track and returned to the booth slumping back into his seat. "Why? I told you that I'm not going to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.  
  
"That is of course, your prerogative, but I'm still giving you permission to break my father's dying wish only in this case." He sighed.  
  
"May I ask way?"  
  
"I know my father and I know you." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Rather ambiguous reasoning." Takeru sighed.  
  
"T.K., my father loved you like one of his own, he saw you grow up with Kari, saw how you protected her all those years, you've been a good friend, and he probably knew that you secretly love her." He smiled. Takeru blushed at the comment while Taichi smiled at him watching. "The last thing he wanted from this promise, whatever it is, was to hurt you. Furthermore, I don't think he wanted you to use his dying wish to cause you pain or grief. My father wanted for you what he wants for all his children: happiness." He sighed.  
  
"Yeah, but unfortunately my happiness will tax others, included you sister."  
  
"Sometimes making yourself happy does that." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Yeah, well you have given me a lot to think about." Takeru sighed. "I've better be going now." He sighed getting up.  
  
"I won't stop you this time." Taichi smiled.  
  
"Thanks for letting me go and thanks for your help." Takeru sighed leaving the restaurant.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Our spot." Hikari whispered entering the small, isolated stone gazebo. She gazed through the latticework where she saw three ducks swam by. The hideaway was located in a secluded part of the park in the middle of a pond that was connected by a small boardwalk.  
  
In their ten-year relationship Hikari and Takeru always had a common place to meet that held some special meaning for them, though the spot itself had change four times over the years, it always had two things in common it was always at the park and always shared some special meaning to them - a place when they needed to talk in private.  
  
The Odaiba Park was a mutual stomping ground that was equidistant from their condominium buildings and school. Hikari had always thought it strange that they never named their spot; it was always called 'our spot' ever since they were young and they never thought of changing it, to do so always seemed sacrilegious.  
  
Their mothers introduced them to their first spot, the sandbox in the small playground in the park. They would bring their children everyday for their play date when their brothers were at school and their husbands would be at work. Hikari and Takeru would play while their mothers would talk. They promised to always meet at the sandbox before they go off and play together.  
  
Time moves inexorably onward, as time usually does. Without fail they would meet at the sandbox to play, pending the status of the weather, if it were too cold or unpleasant Takeru would go to her house. If they were sick the healthy would visit the sick.  
  
Until one day when Hikari was five Takeru didn't show up. With tears in her eyes she went to her mother and asked why her best friend didn't come. In response, her mother told Hikari that he had moved to another city and would call when he gets there.  
  
She didn't hear the last part, all she knew was her best friend in the whole world has moved away without saying goodbye. She didn't care to know the reason and didn't care all she knew was she cried for three days before hearing from Takeru again. The sandbox was no longer a happy place for her.  
  
When Takeru returned that summer at the ripe age of six they changed their meeting spot to the swings at her request. It was still at the playground, but on the opposite side to the sandbox. Hikari liked it when Takeru would push her on the swings. She would try to touch the clouds with her toes imagining that she could fly. Everything seemed real and dreams always came true at that time.  
  
By the time they were nine, a year after their first trip to the Digital World, they switched their spot again due to the fact that their brothers and the older digidestined kept on teasing them about being boyfriend and girlfriend which made that spot no longer private.  
  
It took a long time to find another special spot; they were very particular for some odd reason. Eventually, they found secluded spot in the green house in the middle of the Botanical Garden. There was a particular loveseat where they sat surrounded by plants all year round. The first time they found their third spot they talked all day and watched the stars came out through the glass ceiling.  
  
When Takeru return the summer when they were eleven he told Hikari the good news that he and his mother would be moving back to Odaiba that fall. Hikari was excited and that summer seemed like a perpetual celebration. She was later shocked to find out that they would be in the same class together. Their spot soon became redundant because they met everyday at school; instead their spot changed its meaning. Instead of a meeting spot it became a spot they go to when they need to unburden their souls.  
  
This spot soon turned sour when one day Daisuke Motomiya followed them there, perhaps in a rage of jealousy of the quality time they shared together and ruined their spot perpetually. Hikari told him off because it was she who was bearing her soul to Takeru and stormed out of the Greenhouse. Hikari in grief ran aimlessly in the park, Takeru quickly followed and when he caught up to her. They stopped outside a secluded gazebo when it started to rain and decided to walk towards it where she cried on his shoulder all the burdens of her heart and thus their fourth spot came to be.  
  
She looked at her watched and realized that she was still twenty minutes early. This morning she had a plethora of things in her mind, two that stuck out like a sore thumb. The first was the reason Takeru called this meeting she was genuinely worried about him. The second was why Daisuke asked her brother for breakfast and not her. The rest of the thoughts were superficial.  
  
She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear arguing in the distant and the sound of ducks quacking their song in protest. She was still deep in thought when the fighting stopped and the quacking of ducks ceased. "Kari?" A voice scared her she knew it wasn't Takeru's. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Davis?" She gasped turning around in fright. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"My family is having their picnic just over there." Daisuke pointed through the latticework. "I'm surprised you didn't hear Jun and I arguing." He teased. "Then I saw you here and...well here I am." He explained. "What are you doing here?" He reiterated his question.  
  
"I'm not talking to you." Hikari turned her back to him.  
  
"Why?" Daisuke asked.  
  
"Do you know what I had for breakfast today?" She turned around.  
  
"Oh if this is why I invited Tai to breakfast and not you..."  
  
"A double serving of liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce with beef jerky shakes to wash it down." Hikari replied not wanting to hear Daisuke's explanation.  
  
"I have a simple explana...wheat germ what? How did it taste?"  
  
"The way it sounds. What do you think?"  
  
"Man, T.K. wasn't kidding when he said I saved Tai from your mother's cooking." Daisuke sighed offhandedly.  
  
"You had breakfast with T.K. too? Why were you having breakfast with T.K. and my brother?" Hikari asked.  
  
"I'll tell you after you answer my question." He smiled. "What are you doing here? T.K. told me that you were suppose to meet for lunch." He pointed out.  
  
"T.K. told you that we were meeting?"  
  
"Yeah, over breakfast."  
  
"And you're not jealous?"  
  
"No, T.K. said that he needed his best friend."  
  
Hikari was amazed how much Daisuke changed in a short period of time. A couple of days ago he would be fuming with jealousy when he heard Takeru would spend some time with her alone. "Yeah, he did this is our spot." She confessed.  
  
"This is your place?" Daisuke gasped realizing what it was. "I'm sorry, I've better be going, I don't want to ruin another spot for you two." He gasped attempting to leave.  
  
"We still have time." Hikari stopped him from leaving. "Enough time to tell me why you were having breakfast with my brother and best friend." She smiled wanting to know.  
  
Daisuke exasperated and reached into his backpack and pulled out the blue velvet box out. "I wanted to give you this at dinner tonight, but I guess this is a good enough time then any." He smiled handing her the box.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Open it." He directed.  
  
Hikari opened the velvet box and gasped at the content within. "It's beautiful." She gasped in awe looking at the golden half heart. "It has the crest of courage on it." She smiled.  
  
"It's for you." Daisuke smiled. "I'm wearing the other half with the crest of light on it." He said showing the other half around his neck. "It's my way of telling you that we are two half hearts mending into one. It's also my way of asking you to be my girlfriend." Daisuke sheepishly asked.  
  
Hikari gasped looking at him, her heart was doing summersaults that she almost forgot that she was angry with him. She couldn't believe what she heard. "Really?" Hikari smiled keeping her excitement in. "Wait a minute how does this connect with your breakfast with T.K. and Tai this morning?" She tentatively asked trying to keep Daisuke in suspense.  
  
"I asked for their blessing for us to be a couple, they eventually said yes." Daisuke answered blushing. Hikari felt flattered that he went through all the trouble. "So what do you say? Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked with earnest sincerity.  
  
Hikari waltzed towards him lift his chin and smiled. "Does this answer your question?" She smiled kissing him on the lips.  
  
"So I assume that's a yes." Daisuke said breathless.  
  
"You assume right." She smiled.  
  
"Yes." Daisuke cheered lifting Hikari off the ground swinging her around the gazebo three times before letting her rest gently on the ground. "Here let me put this around your neck." He offered.  
  
"Hold on, let me take off my camera first." She smiled unfastening the camera from her neck. Daisuke ceremoniously fasten the pendent around her neck.  
  
"It looks perfect on you." He smiled looking at the pendant with the crest of courage seemed right around her neck. He kissed her again.  
  
The kiss seemed to last for an eternity, she didn't want it to end, but she had to. "You've better get going, T.K. would be here soon." Hikari gasped panting out of breath.  
  
"Yeah I know." Daisuke sighed. "I'll miss you terribly." He smirked.  
  
"Then let this carry you through until then." Hikari kissed him again. "I'll see you tonight." She smiled. "Now go." She demanded.  
  
She watched Daisuke leave the gazebo waited until he was out of earshot and squealed with exultation. She had her first boyfriend and she was dancing with joy. She couldn't wait until she tells Takeru all the good news.  
  
"Hey Kari?"  
  
"Davis, what are you doing here?" She blushed. "T.K. would be here soon." Hikari warned.  
  
"I think he was." Daisuke said showing a white cap in his hand. "I found it just outside, I think it's T.K.'s." He explained.  
  
Hikari gasped grabbing the hat. "It can't be T.K.'s, this hat means the world to him. He wouldn't just leave it unless..." She whispered.  
  
"Unless?"  
  
Hikari didn't hear Daisuke's question. She felt incredibly guilty she was supposed to be there for Takeru like he was always there for her when she needed him. Instead she was indulging into her own feelings.  
  
She lifted the white cap to her nose and smelled it. It was his scent, he smelled like the ocean, fresh and crisp. There was no mistaking it now Takeru was there. 'How much did he see?' She thought to herself. Hikari was hurt that he so carelessly dropped it, especially because he was so particular about his hats. She remembered the day they got it for him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Three Years Ago...  
  
"Catch me if you can." Hikari teased holding Takeru's green hat in her hand while sticking out her tongue for spite. She had a huge grin on her face running away from Takeru.  
  
"Kari, I'm going to get you." Takeru playfully replied chasing her through the crowded pier trying to reclaim his property.  
  
It was two years after their first adventure in the Digital World and Takeru came back to Odaiba for his summer vacation. The digidestined were having a wonderful day at the beach. That is, until Takeru decided to get back at Hikari for a previous prank she pulled on him earlier that morning.  
  
While she was sleeping in the sun he threw a bucket of cold water on her. She gasped screaming seeing Takeru smiled. Knowing what he did, the ten-year-old girl started to chase the ten-year-old boy trying to get even with him, and she did when his Takeru's green hat flew off his head.  
  
Takeru saw Hikari picking it up with a devilish twinkle in her eye. She smiled at him and started running away towards the pier. After ten minutes of running she was trapped on the high pier. She looked down and saw the blue ocean hundreds of feet below her.  
  
"All right Kari, you have your fun. Please give my hat back." Takeru smiled slowly approaching her.  
  
"Not so fast T.K." Hikari smiled stretching her hand dangling the green hat over the precipice.  
  
"You wouldn't."  
  
"Wouldn't I?" Hikari grinned devilishly.  
  
"Okay, you win." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry for messing with the Queen of Pranks." He smiled approaching her. "Now give me back the hat." He said slowly approaching her.  
  
"Here you go." Hikari said giving the hat back to Takeru when suddenly a gust of strong wind blew the green hat from her hand and into the ocean below.  
  
"No." Takeru said running towards the edge of the pier. It was too late his green hat was lost forever in the deep blue ocean. He was heartbroken.  
  
"I'm so sorry T.K." Hikari gasped. "I didn't mean to..."  
  
"That's okay." He replied, above a whisper. "It's just a hat - a hat my father bought me before my parents divorced." He replied running away, his eyes filled with tears.  
  
"T.K. wait!" She shouted chasing after him, but it was too late, he was gone.  
  
Hikari manage to find him in their secluded spot at the Botanical Garden at the park some distance away. She knew that she would find him there, he was quietly weeping, drowned in sadness. She approached him quietly. "T.K. Please don't cry." She whispered sitting down beside him putting her arm around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it meant so much to you." She sympathized.  
  
"That's okay no one knew." Takeru said wiping his tears. "That hat means so much to me because it's the last thing in my life that reminds me of my family before my parent's divorce." He sighed.  
  
"That's why you're so protective of it."  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "I know it's silly it's just a hat, but it's the only emblem I have left to remind me of the time where Matt and my parents were living together. I was so young when they divorced five years ago...I'm starting to forget what's it like to live in a normal family." He sighed.  
  
"And now it's gone." Hikari sighed.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But I still have my memories, albeit fleeting."  
  
"I'm sorry." She whispered putting her arm around him.  
  
"That's okay." He smiled trying to reassure Hikari that she was forgiven.  
  
Hikari smiled trying to fix the messy blond hair of her best friend. "Tell you what, I know it's not a substitute but I would like to buy you another hat." She smiled running her fingers through his hair.  
  
"No that's okay." Takeru sighed. "I think I've grown out of hats."  
  
"Well that's means you have to spend time to fix your hair in the morning." Hikari sighed. "Which means that you have to use stuff like mousse, gel and hairspray in your hair." She pointed out.  
  
Takeru gasped knowing the very idea of putting all that junk in his hair didn't settle well with him and Hikari knew that. "Okay, let's go hat shopping." He sighed getting up extending his hand.  
  
"I thought you see it my way." She smiled taking his hand.  
  
They left the arboretum hand in hand returning to the beach to tell the rest of the digidestined where they were and where they were going. They headed to the nearest clothing shop on the boardwalk.  
  
"This store seems good." Hikari suggested.  
  
Takeru quickly glanced at the store. It was a humble store selling summer wears from hats to sandals and everything in-between. "All right." Takeru smiled. "It looks good." He said leading her into the store.  
  
The store had a large assortment of hats that were haphazardly piled into a small mountain. Hikari and Takeru started to dig into the stack looking for the right hat for him.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want the same hat?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It won't be the same."  
  
"Okay." Hikari smiled looking through the mountain of hats. "How about this?" Hikari asked putting a baseball hat on.  
  
Takeru looked into the mirror that was nearby and sighed. "I don't know." He said indecisively. "It's a little too American for me." He sighed.  
  
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Hikari sighed waltzing behind him. "I can't see your beautiful eyes underneath the peak." She sighed. "Maybe if we turned the hat like so." She demonstrated turning the bill of the hat to the end. "I heard all the cool Americans wear it like this." She smiled draping her arms lackadaisically over his shoulders. "What do you think?" She asked.  
  
She saw a tuff of blond hair sprouting from hole where the clasp fastened. Takeru motioned his head around seeing it from all sides. "I don't know." He sighed. "It's just not me." He exasperated.  
  
"Yeah, I think you're right." Hikari sighed. "Let's see what else we could find." She sighed taking the baseball cap off.  
  
They returned to the mountain of hats and started digging searching scrupulously for Takeru's next hat. "Hey look what I found." Takeru smiled, putting on a child's hat with a tiny propeller on the top. "What do you think?" He said sarcastically.  
  
Hikari laughed to herself. "If you expect me to buy that you, then you'll have to find yourself another best friend, because I won't be seen in public with you in that." She chuckled at the sight.  
  
"That bad huh?" He smiled.  
  
"It's up there." She smiled. "How about this?" She smiled taking the childish hat off and put another hat on him.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru whined.  
  
"Com'on give it a try." Hikari said dragging him towards the mirror. "What do you think?" She smiled.  
  
"How does: 'Com'on little doggy,' sound to you?" Takeru asked seeing the reflection of him in a cowboy's hat.  
  
"Too Western?" Hikari smiled.  
  
"You think?" He asked sarcastically, taking off the gallon hat.  
  
"Back to the drawing board." Hikari sighed.  
  
They turned their attentions back towards the mountain of hats and started digging again. Takeru chuckled at the next hat he found. "Hey Kari, if you love the first hat, you'll love this." He smiled devilishly. "What do you think of this?" He said putting on the jester's hat he found.  
  
Hikari chuckled at Takeru wearing the hat with three dropping arms with bells at the end, but what made her laugh was the funny face Takeru was making at her. "And I thought the first hat you picked out was bad." She managed to say through her laughter. The look of Takeru with his eyes crossed and his tongue to the side made her laugh to the point of suffocation.  
  
"I wondered how many of those hats this store sell?" Takeru chuckled to himself, taking the hat off and continued his search.  
  
"Maybe there's a big market for it?"  
  
They stopped their search and raised their eyes to each other. They contemplated Hikari's explanation and in unison replied. "Nah." Shaking their heads and continued their search in suppressed laughter.  
  
"Here I found something." Hikari said approaching Takeru. She put on the white hat on his head and ran her hands down his cheeks; she then started to fix his blond hair. "Wow, this is it." She smiled looking into his blue eyes. "This is so you." Hikari smiled having an urge to kiss him; she blushed and stopped herself before anything happened.  
  
"Are you sure?" He said above a whisper, his face slightly red.  
  
"Let's go check in the mirror." She quickly said guiding him towards it. "What do you think?" She smiled gently wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her head affectionately on his shoulder. "Do you like it?" She whispered.  
  
"It's perfect." He smiled. "Let's go buy it." He turned looking at her.  
  
"Okay." She smiled, heading towards the cash register where Hikari purchased the hat for her best friend and walked out to the boardwalk and enjoyed the sun. "How's the hat?"  
  
"It's perfect, you sure know how to pick a hat." He smiled.  
  
Hikari blushed looking down at her at her manual camera. She looked down on her simple disposable camera and saw that there were a few pictures left. "Hey T.K. I have a couple of pictures left in my camera why don't we use the rest of it on us and your new hat?" Hikari asked.  
  
"Sounds good." He smiled.  
  
"Excuse me ma'am, do you mind taking our picture?" Hikari asked.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Kari?" Daisuke had been calling her name for the last minute. "I ruined another sacred spot didn't I?" He replied, above a whisper. Still there was no answer. "Are you okay?" He asked touching her on the shoulder.  
  
"No." She replied, her voice above a whisper. "I've failed him." She whispered.  
  
"Who T.K.? I doubt that." Daisuke replied affectionately.  
  
"You don't understand." She whispered. "T.K. has always been there for me when I needed him and he's rarely asked for my help and when he does I end up ignoring him for..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.  
  
"Me." Daisuke replied sadly.  
  
Hikari walked towards him and raised his chin. "For us." She corrected lifting his chin so their eyes would meet. "It's not your fault Davis." She reassured.  
  
"Nor is it yours." He replied leaning towards her to reassure her with a kiss.  
  
"You don't understand." Hikari said turning away breaking their embrace, unbeknownst of his attempts of his reassuring tactics. She ran towards the other end of the gazebo and looked out. "Have you ever had a friend that was always there for you no matter the time, circumstance or distance? That after being with him always made you feels better? That's always been a rock, a confident, an advisor, and comforter?" She asked.  
  
"No." Daisuke confessed.  
  
"Until you do, you can't imagine my pain of disappointing him." Hikari said. "I have to find to him, no matter what." She said running out.  
  
"Hey." Daisuke said grabbing her arm. "Kari do you even know where T.K. is?"  
  
"No." Hikari gasped holding her tears. "I have to follow my instincts, my head, and heart." She replied.  
  
"How are you going to accomplish this?"  
  
"By any means possible."  
  
"Look Kari, let me go with you. I'm worried about you when you're in this state." He sighed. "I don't want you to do anything foolish while you're this delirious." He pointed out.  
  
Hikari smiled and held his check. "Thanks for the offer, but you have to understand, I have to find him alone." She smiled.  
  
"All right." Daisuke smiled. "Just be careful."  
  
"I will." Hikari reassured. "I'll see you tonight." She quickly smiled kissing him goodbye and dashed out of the gazebo.  
  
He ran after her for a couple of steps only to see her disappeared around the bend. "Good luck." He whispered to himself.  
  
"Hey Dweeb, what did you do to your girlfriend?" He heard his sister yelled in the background. Daisuke sighed and slowly walked towards where his family was having their picnic. He didn't feel like fighting with his sister, instead he was worried about Hikari, who ironically was worried about someone else. He never imagined his greatest victory could taste so bitter.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru swayed slowly on the swing, the ambient sounds of serendipitous children playing around him didn't phased or soothed the new pain in his heart. He was in complete dismay at what he saw at their spot earlier. Daisuke and Hikari in a warm passionate kiss, he kissing her, but more painfully, she returning the favour. Try as he may, he could not get that image out of his mind.  
  
In tears he dashed away, his white hat flying off in the process. Normally, he would stop to pick it up, but these weren't normal circumstances nor was he thinking properly, so he pressed on in his flight. He ran aimlessly through the park with nothing but his broken heart to guide him until all his feelings that was fuelling his flight has been exhausted.  
  
His broken heart led him to the park where the laughter of children caught his attention, a sweet song calling him back to the past. A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him bringing him to a time of pure innocence, of naiveté, of simplicity, he wished for that time.  
  
Drying his tears he headed toward the sandbox and gently raked his fingertips through the sand. He smiled to himself looking at the sandbox; it was smaller then he remembered, then again, everything looked a lot bigger when he was three. The touch of the gravel was familiar; it brought an overabundance of all the good times they spent here, in their first spot, before the world decided to ruin that for them.  
  
"Hey mister, you wanna play?" An innocent voice broke through his thoughts.  
  
Takeru slowly glanced up towards the origin of the voice. It was odd to be called mister, he felt way too young to be called that. He gently glanced up to thank the child who invited him, but was flabbergasted by the sight.  
  
"No, thank you." He smiled at the blue eye, blond hair boy wearing a golden St. Jude medallion around his neck. He quietly swore to himself, it was like a reflection of his past, the child resembled him greatly, but even more odd was his playing companion.  
  
"Are you sure mister?" The brown eye brunette girl asked wearing a mauve baseball hat. "It's a lot of fun." She reassured with an angelic smile.  
  
Except for the hat the little girl reminded him of Hikari. "Yes, I'm sure." He smiled. "A good friend of mine told me that it was more cool to wear your hat like this." Takeru smiled turning the baseball hat backwards.  
  
"Yeah it does look cool." The blond hair boy commented.  
  
"Thanks mister." The girl smiled with delight.  
  
Even her smile reminded him of Hikari. "No problem." He smiled getting up and headed across the park to the swings. He didn't feel right letting his pain juxtaposed against such innocence.  
  
He watched the children play in the sandbox from the swings. They were free of pain, oblivious to the evils of the world, but most importantly they didn't care. He wished he could feel that way again, but unfortunately putting the genie back into the bottle is significantly more difficult to do.  
  
Being in the playground at the park and the fact he was moving made him more reflective then usual. His mind started to meander of the events of the morning. With Taichi's permission to break his father's dying wish he had no excuse preventing him to tell Hikari his feelings, that is except for Daisuke's feelings for her.  
  
Although he didn't consider Daisuke one of his best friends, he was more than an acquaintance and certainly more then an average friend, but regardless of the definition of their relationship, he respected him. That fact alone agonized him to the point of insanity.  
  
But it's all irrelevant now, his morning of contemplation, of debating, of playing basketball to clear his mind was all immaterial. It was also impertinent to say he found an American quarter and was so desperate for an answer that he decided to flip for it.  
  
Heads he'll tell Hikari his feelings, tails he wouldn't. The first flip came out tails and accepted his destiny, then a second later he thought it best to make it two out of three. The next two flips came out heads and he too accepted that destiny, and then a second later he thought it best to make it three out of five. The next two flips were inconsequential because he knew whatever path the coin told him to do, he knew that there would be something in the back of his mind telling him the consequences of either action, so he decided to toss it into a fountain making a wish.  
  
After hours of decision making, soul searching, coin flipping, and wishing he decided to let his heart guide him when he saw her next. He's going to allow his primal gut instinct to decide the path he should take and it did when he saw them kissing.  
  
He watched the blond hair boy and the brown hair girl making a sandcastle in the sandbox and smiled. His mind drifted to the events of the pass four days and wondered if he would have done anything different, sadly his answer was no.  
  
In his mind he did all the right things. He did the right thing when he lied to Hikari and his brother, who he really liked; he couldn't ruin Hikari's first date by telling her his feelings. He did the right thing by being courteous to Chastity Shiozaki on their double date; he couldn't treat Chastity like a leper just because she wasn't Hikari. It was unfortunate that Hikari mistook his civility as genuine feelings for her.  
  
He did the right thing by keeping his promise to Hikari's father, especially when it compromises his heart. He did the right thing by telling his mother that she should take her promotion, he couldn't ruin his mother's lifelong dream for his wants. He did the right thing by giving Daisuke his blessing to ask Hikari to be his. He did the right thing by everyone in his little drama, yet that gave him little comfort. He was selfless to a fault, perhaps that his greatest vice as well as his greatest virtue.  
  
"Give that back!" The screaming of the blond boy caught his attention. He glanced up to see the boy with fists in the air ready to defend himself against a bully twice his size for the girl's mauve hat.  
  
"Who is she to you? Your girlfriend?" The bully teased the last two words.  
  
"So what if she is! I'm not going to let you hurt her!"  
  
"Phineas Eugene Fujiyama! You give back that hat young man!" The bully's mother came by rebuking her child. "And you apologize to the girl." She pointed out.  
  
"But mom!" He whined looking at his mother to see her crossed eyes. "I'm sorry." He muttered above a whisper returning the purple hat to the little girl who sheepishly accepted it.  
  
"Now for your punishment young man!" She said guiding her son by the ear. Takeru saw the boy scream in pain dragging her son away from the sandbox and out of the park.  
  
'Phineas.' Takeru chuckled to himself. 'With a name like that no wonder he's a bully.' He sighed returning his attention to the boy and girl at the sandbox. 'He's got guts.' Takeru thought seeing the boy fixing the little girl's hat by putting it backwards. The girl smiled and hugged the little boy who protected her. 'Some things never changed.' Takeru smiled, the boy was not unlike him when he was that age. 'I wondered if he made a promise like I did with Sora?' He thought reminiscing.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Five Years Ago...  
  
Sora, Hikari and Takeru were trapped underneath the wooden floor. Their hearts were pounding with a vengeance when they heard Piedmon making his entrance. Like a big kid he taunted them out from their hiding spot, it was all a game to him, and unfortunately for Sora, Hikari and Takeru a deadly one.  
  
"I think it's safe now." Sora whispered.  
  
Like the universe wanting to prove her wrong, it did. A blade suddenly penetrated through the wooden floors hoping to pierce them. They ran screaming trying to avoid Piedmon's swords. Piedmon quickly jabbed the floor aimlessly and relentlessly trying to find the hidden humans taunting them along their way.  
  
"Celestial Arrow! Run Kari!" Angewoman ordered.  
  
"Hurry Sora! Wing Blaze!" Garudamon added to the fight.  
  
Hikari and Sora's digimons respectively has given them time to find a way out. Their calls were a great comfort to them and they took advantage of it. A battle ensued the angel and guardian bird against the evil clown. They goal was simple to keep Piedmon busy from piercing the floors with his trump swords no matter the cost, which they paid the ultimate price.  
  
With their distraction they manage to find their way out from beneath the wooden floor. They came out to only see Garudamon's giant claw trapped between floors as a large white handkerchief covered the giant bird digimon. While Angewoman moaned with pain as six trump swords pinned her angelic wings to the wall - trapped. The last thing the angel digimon would see is a fluttering white handkerchief approaching her and then...darkness.  
  
Sora and Hikari screamed in horror as they saw their digimons transformed into key chains for Piedmon's collection. Now there were five, three humans and two digimons, Patamon and Gomamon who lost Jou earlier during a trapeze swing over a precipice, protected the two young children.  
  
Sora being the eldest took charge. 'There's no time for grief.' She sighed looking at the two eight-year-olds. In return they looked at her with expectations in their eyes. "T.K. come here." Sora said forcefully.  
  
"What is it?" Takeru ran to her.  
  
She got to her on her knees so their eyes would be on a level plain. "I want you to take Kari and get out of here!"  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
"Listen to me! There isn't much time! Piedmon has the rest of our friends and if he gets to us we're doomed." She got up on her feet and his eyes followed hers. "T.K. please you're the only one that can protect Kari. You have to be brave now get going."  
  
"I won't leave you!" Takeru said knowing what would happen if he did.  
  
Sora put her hands on his shoulders. "Don't worry about me I'll be fine."  
  
Takeru studied her face; he thought it odd that she was smiling at a time like this, perhaps to reassure him. Reluctantly he knew it was the right thing to do. "All right." He studied her face knowing that it may be the last time he'll see it.  
  
"No matter what happens just keep running."  
  
"Okay Sora, I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." He said with determination.  
  
"Right! Hurry! Go!" Sora gave her last three commands.  
  
Takeru ran towards Hikari, looking at her with a smile. "Come on Kari." He gently took her hand. "Let's go!" He said running guiding her around the corner, he turned his head a saw Sora disappear in a white handkerchief as she threw something towards him. Now there were three.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Hey mister?" The young girl's voice sheepishly asked interrupted his thoughts. Takeru glanced up to see the brown hair girl with the mauve hat holding a handful of pink posies in her hand.  
  
"Please call me Takeru, my friends call me T.K. you can call me that if you like." He smiled. "Just don't call me mister it makes me feel like my father, I'm not nearly as old." He shuddered sarcastically.  
  
The two kids giggled. "My name is..."  
  
"Jude." Takeru answered.  
  
"How do you know that?" The young boy asked. "Are you psychic?"  
  
"No." Takeru chuckled. "You're wearing a St. Jude medallion." He smiled pointing to the golden chain around his neck. Although Catholics were uncommon in Japan, Takeru had seen enough of them to know that parents generally give their children a medallion of the saint they're normally named after to protect them. "I believe he's the saint of hopeless causes." Takeru smiled.  
  
"That's what my mom calls me when I get in trouble." Jude pointed out. "What does that mean?" He asked.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself and noticed that there was a pink posy in his right ear, something Hikari use to do for him, once upon a time. "Don't worry, your mother doesn't mean it." He smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Oh, well my name is Jude Tomodachigai." Jude sighed dismissing the thought, as young boys like him often do. "My friends call me J.T. you can call me that if you want." He replied with his boyish smile.  
  
"Okay." Takeru smiled finding the similarity between their names.  
  
"My name is Akari Seijun, but all my friends call me..."  
  
"Kari." Takeru smiled chuckling to himself, he couldn't believe the irony of their nicknames being the same.  
  
"Yeah. You are psychic." Akari smiled.  
  
"No just intuitive." Takeru sighed. "How can I help you?" He smiled changing the subject.  
  
"We just wanted to give you these." Akari smiled. "You seemed pretty sad and we thought that these would cheer you up." She said handing the bouquet to him.  
  
"Thank you." Takeru smiled taking the flowers smelling the amorous scent.  
  
"Feeling better?" Jude asked.  
  
"Yes, thank you." He smiled looking at the boy. "That's a pretty gutsy thing you did back there at the sandbox." He commented.  
  
"Oh that." Jude sighed blushing. "I promise mom that I look over Kari when we're playing." He sighed. "But to tell you the truth I would have done it without promising mom." He smiled blushing. "You see I really like her." Jude whispered into Takeru's ear.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself at the boy's whisperings. "Well keep up the good job." He smiled.  
  
"Jude!"  
  
"Akari! Time to go home!"  
  
"That's our mothers..."  
  
"...we gotta go." Akari finished Jude's sentence, not unlike what he and Hikari did all those years ago.  
  
"Here why don't you give these to your mothers? I'm sure they'll appreciated more then I would." Takeru pointed out giving the bouquet back to Akari.  
  
"Are you sure?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Now get going." He smiled watching the two kids running towards their mothers' waiting arms. He was overjoyed to see their mothers' faces when they received the flowers their children had picked to cheer him up.  
  
"Good luck kid, hope all your dreams come true." He sighed.  
  
Takeru gently pushed making the swing he was sitting on sway a little. The slight pendulum motion helped him think. He silently chuckled to himself thinking of all the similarities Hikari and he had to that of Jude Tomodachigai and Akari Seijun. He made a similar promise to Sora about protecting Hikari all those years ago.  
  
'I wish I hadn't made that promise.' He sighed, thinking. 'Perhaps her father wouldn't have noticed it and wouldn't make me promise that promise before he died.' He exasperated. 'No that wasn't fair. What choice did Sora have?' He rationalized. 'Besides like J.T. said I would have done it regardless.' He sighed. 'After all, Mr. Kamiya noticed.' He sighed remembering that particular memory.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Three Months Ago...  
  
"Hey T.K. wake up." A voice gently stirred him up.  
  
"Just five more minutes mom." Takeru mumbled under his breath, he was having a good dream and didn't want to wake up.  
  
"You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through his head.  
  
He gasped at the voice and opened his eyes with a vengeance. "Tai what are you doing here?" He asked full with concern. "Where am I?" He asked looking around the strange environment; he was not in his room.  
  
"You're at Odaiba County General Hospital, my father..."  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. He sensed something pressing on his chest and smelled the scent of lavender and lilacs mixed in with formaldehyde. He looked down and saw Hikari sleeping on him. They were outstretched awkwardly on the chesterfield in the waiting room of the hospital.  
  
They must have fallen asleep together while waiting for news of the progress of Hikari's father. He was glad that it was Spring Break because he could stay with her, but he never dreamed this would happen. "Tai I could explain this, it's not what it looks like." Takeru gasped with fear.  
  
"Oh T.K." Hikari moaned affectionately making herself more comfortable on his chest. Takeru watched her movement and knew how that may look.  
  
He turned to Taichi and gave him frightening looked. "Or sounds like." Takeru added knowing the possible sexual innuendoes that simple statement could have.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you...yet." Taichi smiled devilishly when he added that last word. Takeru smiled hoping it was Taichi's dry sarcasm. "I know all you did was fall asleep waiting for news on my dad." Taichi explained.  
  
"He's not..."  
  
"No." Taichi sighed reassuring. "But I'm afraid soon."  
  
"Then why..."  
  
"He wants to talk to you." Taichi explained.  
  
"Me? Why would he..."  
  
"I don't know, he just does." Taichi explained. "So are you coming or are you going to ask more questions?" He asked rhetorically.  
  
"I'm coming." Takeru exasperated, trying to gently ease Hikari off his body without waking her. "It appears it'll be more difficult then I'd thought it would be." Takeru sighed.  
  
Taichi exasperated. "Hey Kari wake up." He whispered.  
  
"Just five more minutes mom." Hikari mumbled sleepily, as she got more comfortable on Takeru's chest.  
  
"Peas in a pod." Taichi mumbled under his breath. "You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through her head.  
  
Hikari gasped at her brother's voice and opened his eyes. She got up and realized that she fell asleep with Takeru. She glanced at Takeru then at Taichi then back at Takeru and at Taichi again. "Tai...Tai I could explain, it's not what it looks like." She stuttered.  
  
Taichi chuckled to himself. "You know for something rather innocent you two seemed very guilty." He teased.  
  
Hikari looked at Takeru and in return he gave her a reassuring smile. "You mean you're not mad with T.K. or going to kill him?" She asked feeling a little relieved.  
  
"Not over this." Taichi smiled. "Coming T.K.?"  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled getting up only to be stopped by Hikari holding his hand. He turned to look at her and saw concern in her eyes.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
Takeru smiled and got on his knees so that their eyes were on the same level. He held her hands and cupped her check. "Your father wants to see me." He smiled reassuringly. He saw worry in her eyes and saw her white teeth delicately biting her lower lip. Takeru smiled using his thumb to free her lower lip. "Your mother said biting you lip is a bad habit." He smiled whispering, still seeing concern in her eyes. "I'll be back soon. I'll promise." He smiled.  
  
"Okay." She smiled reluctantly releasing his hand.  
  
Takeru smiled taking a deep breath. He got up and walked with Taichi through the marbled halls. "So you two seem extra chummy lately." Taichi nonchalantly sighed.  
  
"Perhaps, we're getting a little bit more closer, but I think there's a just reason for it, especially under these circumstances." Takeru explained. "You have a problem with that?" He teased.  
  
"Don't confuse my comprehension of this situation as leniency, if you want to see my sister, you'll have to answer to me." Taichi pointed out with an overabundance of brotherly concern.  
  
Takeru knew Taichi enough to know that his threat was idle; then again, he was getting on Daisuke's case more nowadays, especially when the conversation turns to his sister. He pondered that thought and turned into the private room where their father rested.  
  
Takeru was shocked to see impending death coming, he's seen death before in the Digital World, but those deaths were generally quick, swift, and in an instant gone, but this was different, this was prolonged and he was scared to see death approaching so slowly.  
  
"Dad, he's here." Taichi whispered sitting next to his ailing father holding his hand. "I'll leave you two alone." He smiled getting up.  
  
His father kept his son's hand steadfast. "Before you go, I'll like to say a few things to you." He smiled.  
  
"What is it?" Taichi said sitting back down.  
  
"It's just a few things I wanted to say before I died."  
  
"Dad, you all ready told me all the important stuff, like where to hide all the junk food in the house so mom wouldn't know." Taichi smiled.  
  
His father chuckled. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts when I do." He sighed taking a laboriously breath to change the mood. "Seriously Tai, when I'm gone, you'll be the man of the house. I want you to take care of your mother and sister, watch over them, don't let your mom work too hard and don't give your mother a hard time you hear?" He asked.  
  
"Yes dad." He smiled taking a last look at his father. "I'll be leaving you now." Taichi sighed getting up. "Don't take too long." Taichi whispered to Takeru before leaving the room.  
  
The silence was short and unbearable; it was he, Taichi's father, and death. "Umm...I'm here Mr. Kamiya." He feebly said.  
  
"Takeru, com'on in sit beside me." He replied hoarsely. Takeru silently made his way to the chair beside the bed and smiled. "It's so good to see you." He smiled watching the young boy sheepishly smiled back at him. "I just wanted to thank you for protecting Kari all these years and for being here for her these past two days." He smiled. "I'm sorry that you have to waste so much of your Spring Break to be here." He sighed laboriously.  
  
"Don't be." Takeru finally spoke. "There would always be more holidays." He pointed out. "As for protecting Kari all these years, well...I made a promise a long time ago to always protect her." He sighed.  
  
"The one you made with Sora five years ago?" Takeru was shocked that he knew and was about to open his mouth. "I saw it in the sky five years ago shortly after the Odaiba Fog incident." He pointed out. Takeru had forgotten that the whole world saw the battles of the Dark Masters and Apocalymon when the eight of them returned to the Digital World together. "Besides I think it's more than you honouring a promise...you love her don't you?" He probed.  
  
"I don't know what..."  
  
"Please don't insult a dying man's intelligence."  
  
Takeru exasperated and smiled. "Okay, I love her." He sighed, feeling weird confessing his feelings to her dying father; it was the first time he told anyone his true feelings for Hikari. "I wanted to tell someone that for a long time." He smiled.  
  
"Have you told her yet?"  
  
"No." He sighed. "I wanted to tell her this Spring Break, but..."  
  
"Ah...I see." He sighed painstakingly. "Tell her." He hoarsely said. "Take it from a dying man, it's better to live with rejection then regret." He said touching the boy's cheek. "Remember that." He smiled.  
  
"I will." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Don't let my death be your excuse for not telling my daughter you love her. Carpe Diem, Seize the Day, live in the moment." He smiled looking at the sapphire blue eyes of the child, he remembered the look of hope in them, and he remembered he once had that look for his wife so many years ago. "Takeru, there is something more that I wanted to talk to you about." He smiled weakly.  
  
"Okay." Takeru exasperated following his direction.  
  
"Before I say anything, this conversation is between us, okay?" He smiled as he watched the boy nod in affirmation. "Good." He smiled more laboriously. "This is an extension of the promise you made to Sora all those years ago." He sighed with pain. "I want you to continue to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel that you have been for the last five years, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life." He exasperated hoarsely using most of his strength to complete the sentence.  
  
"I will." Takeru smiled reassuringly. "I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." Takeru smiled holding his hand.  
  
"I know you would." He smiled gasping the last of his life breath.  
  
Takeru gasped noticing the glazed look in his eyes and the sound of the heart monitor making a single long high-pitched beep. Frighten he backed away knocking over the chair he was sitting on and leaned against the window that stopped him.  
  
A plethora of doctors and nurses rushed in trying to revive him. It was too late - he was dead. He will always remember the last thing that was said sealing his fate. "Time of death, six thirty-three." The doctor sighed, turning off all the equipment. "I'm sorry son." The doctor's ambient voice echoed through his psyche, but all he saw was a white sheet draping over him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru gasped with fear as something white draped over his eyes. "I'm sorry to scare you, but I've been calling your name for a while." A familiar voice replied with a hint of concern. He recognized the voice it was Hikari, he fixed his white hat and glanced up to see Hikari swaying gently in the opposite direction. "You've seemed to dropped it." She smiled.  
  
"Yeah." He smiled trying to suppress his pain. It was odd seeing her and feeling pain by just looking at her, something he didn't realize could happen. The silence between them was cold and uncomfortable. He looked at her and his heartache deepened.  
  
"So why here?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence. "This hasn't been our spot since we were nine." She pointed out.  
  
"I just wanted to come to a place that reminds me of a time where pain's a distant memory, where dreams come true, crushes were real, and the time was innocence and naïve." Takeru sighed.  
  
Hikari smiled to herself and sighed. "You have a rather selective memory don't you?" She asked, not expecting an answer. "It's just that by the time we were nine, we weren't that innocent nor naïve. By the age of five we learn the pain of separation and we finally knew what the word divorce meant. By the age of eight we've seen death and destruction in the Digital World." She pointed out. "There's nothing innocent about all that."  
  
"I know." Takeru sighed. "I was at the sandbox earlier, but there were kids playing so innocently there, I couldn't bring them down with my depression." Takeru smiled.  
  
"Oh." Hikari smiled. She looked at her downcast friend and realized what was happening. "Chastity chose the other guy didn't she?" Hikari sighed reassuringly.  
  
Takeru glanced at her trying to hide his surprise. He hadn't thought of that, quite frankly Chastity Shiozaki was the furthest thing on his mind. "Yeah, metaphorically you could say that." He sighed referring not to Chastity, but to Hikari.  
  
"I'm sorry T.K. it's her lost." Hikari smiled reassuringly. "Do you want me to talk to her?" She asked.  
  
"No." Takeru smiled. "It's over and I'll grow to accept it, but that's not the reason I wanted to meet you today." He sighed. "There were other things on my mind." He replied nonchalantly.  
  
There was another air of silence, this time colder and more uncomfortable. For the first time in ten years Hikari didn't know what to do to cheer up her friend. "I'm sorry." Hikari said, above a whisper.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For failing you, for not being there for you, like you always had for me."  
  
"Silly girl, you haven't failed me." Takeru give a reassuring smile. "Besides I think you had good reasons for having other things on your mind." He smiled motioning on his neck; he was saddened not to see her camera there. "Are you happy?" He asked.  
  
Hikari looked to her neck and blushed seeing that the necklace that Daisuke bought her was dangling over her pink shirt. "Extremely." She smiled.  
  
"Really?" Takeru asked making a conscious effort to suppress his pain.  
  
"Yeah." Hikari blushed with a slight smile. "If you told me a week ago that Davis and I would be exclusive I'd thought you're crazy. I mean Davis and I are complete opposites." She sighed with a chuckle. "Perhaps the old idiom is true: opposites attract." She smiled.  
  
"Stranger things have happened." Takeru smiled.  
  
Hikari chuckled in return. "Yeah, I don't know it's weird, Davis is loud, rash, obnoxious, and could be extremely annoying at times." She exasperated with a smile. "Yet he's also paradoxically sweet, caring, tender, and could be surprisingly passionate. He reminds me a lot of Tai, is that psychologically disturbing or what?" Hikari asked rhetorically.  
  
"Freud wouldn't think so, but as for me I wouldn't want to picture it." Takeru pointed out with his smile.  
  
Hikari chuckled at the response. "I don't know, Davis reminds me of someone else, someone more than Tai, I don't who." Hikari sighed. "I just can't put my finger on it, Davis reminds me of..." She sighed trying to figure it all out.  
  
"Your father?"  
  
"Yeah." Hikari gasped. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?" He smiled.  
  
"Know what I'm thinking even when I don't." She smiled.  
  
"You just needed another person's perspective." Takeru sighed. "Besides knowing you for a decade didn't harm either." He sighed retreating into his melancholy thoughts. For the likes of him he couldn't get the image of Hikari and Daisuke being together forever out of his mind.  
  
"T.K. what are you thinking?" She asked. "Are you thinking that I'm using Davis to substitute the thought of losing my dad?" She asked.  
  
"No, quite the opposite." Takeru smiled. "Why, are you thinking about that?"  
  
"Not until you brought up the similarities between Davis and my father." Hikari replied with a hint of sadness. "Do you think I'm doing that? Do you think I'm using him?" She asked looking in his blue eyes with hope.  
  
Takeru sighed thinking how he should respond. He looked into her brown eyes wondering what her soul was telling him. He had to tell the truth, no matter how bad it hurt him. "No." He said, his voice above a whisper. "You would have known the connection between Davis and your father sooner or later and deduced the obvious." He smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"That you two were meant for each other." He sighed, his voice cracking with pain. He was surprised that he got that phrase out of his mouth. He was fighting with all his strength from allowing himself to cry both on the outside and inside.  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"When I was little my mother told me that girls generally marry boys that remind them of the fathers." Takeru smiled with a devilish thought in his mind. "So how does Mrs. Daisuke Motomiya sound to you?" He teased with a huge grimace on his face. He carefully got up from the swings and slowly took a couple of paces back.  
  
Hikari gasped at the suggestion. "Takeru Takaishi you better take that back!" Looking at him at the swings to only see him up and about.  
  
"You got to catch me first!" He smiled turning around and dashed towards the sandbox.  
  
"Oh, I'm not letting you get away with that so easy." Hikari chuckled chasing after him. She followed him around the sandbox, up one end of the seesaw and down the other end. Then she climbed up the winding steps of the slide and then sledded after him before she ran out of breath. "Okay, I give!" Hikari panted seeing Takeru slowing down sitting underneath the shade of the willow waiting for her.  
  
Takeru watched as she slowly walked towards him, catching her breath. "It's about time." He smiled taunting her as she sat next to him on the fresh green grass. "I've been here for ages." He smiled.  
  
"Oh, you are so dead." Hikari smiled tackling Takeru on the crisp cool grass. Takeru was surprised by the attacked and pretty soon she was tickling him to ebb his athletic strength away. "Take it back."  
  
"Never!" Takeru smiled, using the rest of his fleeting strength to get on top and tickled her in retaliation. He was on top of her and had an overwhelming urge to kiss her, but stopped himself when he saw the half-heart necklace with the crest of courage around her neck and realized what he was doing. He quickly got off of her and leaned against the willow closing his eyes.  
  
Hikari asked seeing pain and guilt in his eyes before he got off of her. "T.K. what's wrong?" She asked sitting next to him. "It's not like you to give up on a tickling war before especially when you're winning." She smiled watching him leaning against the willow.  
  
"Okay you win." Takeru replied nonchalantly. "I'll take it back you should definitely go with Mrs. Hikari Kamiya-Motomiya." He looked at her with a reassuring smile trying to hide his true feelings from her.  
  
"You're asking for it aren't you?" Hikari smiled. "Do you really want a second tickling war?" She asked.  
  
"No." He chuckled, it felt good laughing again; it's been a long time since he had a good, genuine laugh. "I'm sorry." He sighed changing his mood.  
  
He hated to break his time of laughter short, but he had no choice. He had to tell Hikari that he would be moving, perhaps never to see her again. He turned to look at her and it pained him to see her beside him, knowing that it would be a long time until he would see this again, if ever.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked with concern.  
  
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "It just seems so trivial now, but I wanted to tell you the earth-shattering secret that I've been keeping from you for the last two days." He sighed.  
  
"Why do I sense a "but" in that statement?"  
  
"Because there is." Takeru sighed. "I was wrong, it's not the right time." He sighed sadly. It was the last part of his promise to Hikari's dying father that kept him from telling her his feelings. 'To always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life.' He still heard her father's dying voice in his mind.  
  
He knew by telling her that he loved her would introduce a tidal wave of pain that would drown her, like it did with Sora when she had to choose between his brother and hers and although he had Taichi's permission to break this part of the promise, he couldn't. He looked at her angelic face; it was perfect in every way, but one thing. "You have an eyelash on your face." He whispered.  
  
"Where?" Hikari asked trying to get it off.  
  
"Here let me get it." He offered with a smile. He gently reached for face and with his index finger picked it up. He was about to blow it away when Hikari gently raised her hand to stop him.  
  
"Don't blow away just yet." She smiled still holding his hand. The touch of her soft hand sent shivers of euphoria down Takeru's back. "Mimi told me that you can make a wish on a fallen eyelash." She smiled.  
  
Takeru chuckled at the American superstition, but decided to take part of it regardless. "What should I wish for?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "Whatever makes your heart happy." She suggested looking into his eyes.  
  
He felt the preverbal dagger in his heart twist when he heard that suggestion. He couldn't have what would make his heart happy. His eyes slowly moved towards her. "What would you wish for?" He whispered with a smile.  
  
"I don't think it works that way." Hikari smiled. "It's your wish."  
  
"Yeah, but I wishing all the time." He smiled. "Every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day." He replied trying to suppress the sadness in his voice. "So it'll be a waste on me." He sighed. "So please take the wish."  
  
"All right. If you're sure." She smiled closing her eyes.  
  
Hikari wondered what she would wish for, in her mind she had everything she ever wanted: a family, good friends, and now a boyfriend. Takeru watched her adoring face and smiled secretly to himself, hoping that she's wishing for the same thing as him, but knew she wasn't. She opened her eyes and blew her eyelash off his index finger. "So what did you wish for?" Takeru asked softly.  
  
"Can't tell you or it won't come true." Hikari pointed out.  
  
"Oh is that how it works." Takeru smiled. "I hope your wish comes true."  
  
"Thanks." Hikari smiled. "What about you, did your wish come true?"  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I doubt it though." He sighed.  
  
Hikari sensed sadness in his voice and sighed. "Everything's going to be all right." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I promised." She smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Takeru smiled.  
  
At that Hikari's watch went off, she gasped at the time. "I've got to go, I have to get ready to have dinner with Davis' parents." She gasped.  
  
"But Kari, there's something..."  
  
"Look T.K." Hikari quickly interrupted him. "I understand this predicament of yours." She smiled reassuringly.  
  
"You do?" Takeru was shocked.  
  
"Yeah, this secret of yours." Hikari sighed. "I'll trust your judgement in when you want to tell me, but whatever it is T.K., I'll understand." She smiled. "Now I've got to get going." She sighed looking at her watch. "I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure." Takeru gasped. "But there's more that I..." Takeru scoffed with futility, it was too late she was gone. "...I'm leaving to New York at the end of the week, perhaps never to see you again." He sighed to himself. "Who'll guess that telling you that I'm leaving would be just as difficult as telling you that I love you." He sighed leaving the playground.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Arranging flowers always put Sora's mind at ease especially when she's troubled, like today. Her thoughts had lingered about her time in the Digital World, especially about the fight with Yamato. 'How did things go wrong?' She sighed to herself.  
  
She could still see the look in Taichi's eyes when she was caught in the act of giving Yamato some of her homemade cookies before his concert two Christmases ago. She saw hurt and comprehension in his eyes when he found out her feelings for Yamato. She thought that Taichi could handle that she and Yamato was together, but she was wrong.  
  
After the defeat of Malo Myotismon and things started to get back to normal Taichi had a difficult time in hiding his feelings for her. He told her his feelings with an unexpected kiss in the park one day. It was unfortunate that Yamato caught them in the act.  
  
She remembered the look in his eyes that day, he felt hurt, betrayed, by both his girlfriend and his best friend. She eventually explained to Yamato what happened in the park, but it was too late, she was in love with two men.  
  
'What was I thinking?' She sighed, thinking that they would understand her feelings about dating both of them causally. She knew that it was too good to last and that it'll all end badly, and she was right.  
  
The chimes hanging by the doorway resonated through the quiet flower shop interrupting her thoughts. She glanced up and smiled to see a familiar face. "T.K." She greeted. "How can I help you?"  
  
"I was wondering if you have a pot of forget-me-nots." He smiled.  
  
"I'm not sure, I'd have to check in the back." She smiled. "Are you sure you want forget-me-nots?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, why not?"  
  
"It's just that forget-me-nots are perennials." Sora replied and saw confusion in her friend's face. "It's just that forget-me-nots only bloom in the spring and since it's summer it's out of season, plus the fact that it's not the most requested flower..."  
  
"What are you trying to say?"  
  
"It's going to be outrageously expensive." She pointed out.  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "It doesn't matter." He added sadly.  
  
"T.K. what's wrong?" Sora asked. "Is it Kari?"  
  
"In part." He sighed.  
  
"You love her don't you?"  
  
"My feelings towards Kari are unimportant, she's...unavailable." He sighed. "Besides I made a promise to...never mind." He sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was to get into that all over again.  
  
"Promise?" She whispered to herself thinking what sort of promise would ask him to compromise his heart, and then it hit her. "T.K. if this the promise you made to me five years ago about protecting Kari, I didn't mean to protect her from emotional pain, though honourable, albeit misguided, that idea may be." She pointed out.  
  
"No, it's not that." Takeru replied with reassurance. "It's just an extension of that promise to a dead friend, which is why I need the forget-me-nots. I think I'm going to pay him a visit." He smiled.  
  
"I see." Sora smiled. "And I'm sorry." Sora sighed reassuringly. She couldn't blame Takeru for not telling Hikari his feeling, especially after her recent experiences with love triangles. "I'll go see if we have any forget-me-nots." Sora replied wanting to leave him alone with his feelings when the chimes by the door rang. She glanced up to see Daisuke.  
  
"Hey Sora." Daisuke entered smiling with a boyish grin.  
  
"Hey Davis." She greeted with a smile. "You seem happy."  
  
"I am." He beamed.  
  
Takeru turned around to see him walked towards the counter where they were standing. "Hey Davis." He greeted with a supporting smile.  
  
"Hey T.K." Daisuke smiled back.  
  
"I hear congratulations are in order." Takeru smiled extending his hand.  
  
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled receiving his hand.  
  
"Congratulations?" Sora asked, she had a feeling she knew what that was about, but wanted to confirmed them.  
  
"This afternoon I asked Kari to be my girlfriend and she said yes." He announced with glee. "She's having dinner with my family tonight, I got her some white chocolates." He said showing the nicely wrapped box.  
  
"Her favourite." Sora noted.  
  
"I know." Daisuke smiled. "I just wish I knew why, I can't stand the stuff." He sighed. "Any ways, I pass by your flower shop and thought I'll give you some business." He pointed out.  
  
"How thoughtful of you." Sora smiled. "What would you like?"  
  
"I was thinking along the lines of a dozen long stem red roses." He smiled.  
  
"Pink." Takeru interrupted curtly. "Pink roses are Kari's favourite." He pointed out.  
  
"He's right." Sora replied wondering why Takeru would help Daisuke. "They are her favourites." She pointed out.  
  
"Very well, pink it is." Daisuke smiled.  
  
"All right." Sora smiled. "And congratulations." She smiled while in the corner of her eye she watched Takeru demeanour; he was obviously heartbroken and was hiding it very well. "I'll be back with your roses and forget-me-nots momentarily." She said retreating into the back.  
  
The silence in the floral shop became cold and uncomfortable as the two men waited for their flowers. "So." Daisuke sighed breaking the silence. "I assume Kari found you." He said nonchalantly.  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"She returned your hat that you dropped." He said pointed to his head. "That and she called earlier this afternoon and told me." Daisuke smiled. "Are you all right? Kari was quite in a state of frenzy when she noticed that you were there." He asked.  
  
"I'll be fine." Takeru sighed. "She had the crazy notion that not being there for me was her fault." He chuckled to himself. "I reassured her that it wasn't her fault." He sighed.  
  
"You and I both." Daisuke sighed. "It's rather my fault, I shouldn't have ask her then, but she is rather persistent when she wants to know what someone is hiding." He sighed.  
  
"Don't be silly, it's not any more your fault then it is hers." Takeru sighed. "You saw your chance and you took it, unlike most people I know." Takeru whispered the last part to himself.  
  
Daisuke was confused about the last addendum to the sentence, but quickly ignored it. "Well I hate it that I ruined yet another of your sacred spots." He sighed. "Did you two eventually find a new one?" He asked.  
  
"No, an old one." He corrected enigmatically.  
  
"An old one?" Daisuke whispered to himself. "What does that mean? Wait don't tell me, I don't want to ruin a third sacred spot." He replied quickly covering his ears.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself shaking his head, when Sora came from the storeroom. "Sorry T.K. I looked but couldn't find any...what's wrong with Davis?" Sora asked noticing Daisuke's hands on his ear.  
  
"The answer to that question could fill volumes." Takeru mocked. "Thanks for looking Sora, I've better be going." He sighed and casually headed out of the flower shop.  
  
"Hey T.K. wait up! I want to talk to you." Daisuke said paying Sora the money owed and grabbed the box of white chocolates and pink roses simultaneously. He dashed out of the door to see Takeru gone. "T.K.?" He yelled frivolously.  
  
"You said you wanted to talk?" Takeru replied. Daisuke gasped and turned to where the voice emanated and saw the flaxen hair boy sitting on the bench outside the flower shop. "What about?" He smiled.  
  
Daisuke sighed and sat beside him. "I thought you've left." He said quietly looking at his hands.  
  
"I was about too, but I heard you."  
  
"Yeah." Daisuke exasperated.  
  
"So what do you want to talk about?" Takeru reiterated his question.  
  
Daisuke looked at his shoes and sighed. "This is going to be harder then I thought." He whispered.  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Having more than a superficial conversation with you." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"Superficial?"  
  
"It means shallow or trivial."  
  
"I know what it means." Takeru smiled to himself. "I'm surprised that you did." He teased.  
  
"Ha, ha, very funny." Daisuke laughed dryly. "I suppose I deserved that."  
  
"No, you didn't." Takeru sighed. "Take your time." He said making himself more comfortable on the bench and waited patiently.  
  
Daisuke sighed to himself and took a deep breath. "You know Kari put me up to this." He sighed. "She told me that she wanted us to be better friends." He sighed.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself and sighed. "She told me the same thing yesterday." He sighed. "In her mind she thinks we just tolerate each other."  
  
"Yeah, she said that we have an unsaid alliance, whatever that means." Daisuke sighed. "I don't know." Daisuke sighed. "Perhaps we do."  
  
"Perhaps." Takeru sighed. "Is that what you want to talk about?"  
  
"No." Daisuke exasperated. "Kari told me about Chastity, about her choosing the other guy over you." He sighed.  
  
"Oh." Takeru sighed looking at his feet. "Thanks for your concern, but I'll be all right." He sighed.  
  
"Regardless, I'm sorry." Daisuke sighed. "But you can't give up hope. I mean look at Kari and me, if I have given up hope, we would have never gotten together." Daisuke pointed out. "You can't do the same thing." He stressed.  
  
"Hope." Takeru smiled. "What is that exactly?" He sighed rhetorically.  
  
"Well...hope is the light at the end of a dark tunnel." Daisuke replied with a hint of confusion in his voice.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But what is hope when his light is gone?" He mumbled under his breath trying to suppress his pain.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "Just thinking out loud." He smiled. "Thanks for your advice, I'll take it under advisement." He smiled reassuringly.  
  
"Good." Daisuke smiled taking a deep breath.  
  
There was another moment of silence when he started to chuckle to himself. "What's so funny?" Takeru asked.  
  
"It's nothing." Daisuke chuckled. "It's rather silly."  
  
"Tell me." Takeru smiled. "I could use a good laugh."  
  
"All right." Daisuke sighed. "This may be hard to believe, but before Kari and I got together I was extremely jealous of your relationship with her." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"No!" Takeru sarcastically gasped.  
  
"All right, so I was a little obvious." Daisuke sighed.  
  
"A little?"  
  
"Okay, a lot jealous." Daisuke sighed. "It's just that you and Kari have this amazing relationship that I thought no one could compete with." He sighed. "For example I ask her to be my girlfriend and then the next thing she does is go off looking for you." He sighed.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen." Takeru apologized.  
  
"It's not just that. I understand that." Daisuke sighed. "I mean you know her so well. You knew she likes white chocolate and prefers pink roses to red." He sighed. "You probably know her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." He exasperated.  
  
"Lust, Pablo Neruda, and she doesn't usually drink coffee, but when she does she takes it with a lot of sugar and a lot of milk." Takeru smiled.  
  
"You see what I mean?" Daisuke exasperated. "You know everything about her."  
  
"Not everything." Takeru smiled. "I know a lot, but not everything. It's just ten years worth of information that we constantly shared or take note with each other." He sighed. "Look Davis, part of the joy, the adventure of a relationship is finding something new in each other, like her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." Takeru pointed out. "If anyone should be jealous it should be me." He smiled.  
  
"You?"  
  
"Yeah me and every guy that's not with her. You get this chance to share and explore something new with Kari that no one has ever been before." Takeru pointed out. "You'll be the first to experience her lips on yours, the feeling of her being in your arms, the touch of a familiar hand, and to know that someone who, in your words, looks like an angel loves you back." He smiled. "You'll be the first to explore all this, even before me." He pointed out stressing the last three words.  
  
"Thanks." He smiled, being genuinely flabbergasted at what came out of Takeru's mouth. "May I ask you something personal?" He asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Why haven't you and Kari gotten together? I mean all my friends thought I was crazy to chase after her because they thought that you two would end up together." Daisuke asked.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. He thought of the last four days of him trying to tell Hikari his feelings. "I guess the right time never came up." He sighed entering a gaze.  
  
"Do you love her?"  
  
Takeru sighed thinking how he should answer this question, sparing Daisuke from being hurt; there wasn't any easy way. "My feelings for Kari are irrelevant." He sighed enigmatically.  
  
"What don't you find Kari attractive?"  
  
"I find her unavailable." Takeru sighed. "Listen Davis, do you love Kari and does she love you back?" He asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Than have faith in that if nothing else." Takeru pointed out. "Trust in her and don't feel insecure by me, or by anyone." He smiled.  
  
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled. "For our first profound conversation it wasn't so bad." He smiled.  
  
"No it wasn't."  
  
"I've better be going." Daisuke smiled getting up. "Thanks for the talk."  
  
"No problem." Takeru sighed, thinking about the promises and oaths that he made over the last five years. "Hey Davis I know you love Kari, but are you happy with her?" He asked stopping his flight.  
  
"Yeah, I am." He replied with a smile. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Just curious." Takeru sighed. "Davis I want you to promise me something."  
  
"Sure, what?"  
  
Takeru sighed and took a deep breath before beginning. "I want you to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make sure she's happy." Takeru repeated the promise he made to Hikari's father, but amended the last part.  
  
"What?" Daisuke asked with confusion.  
  
"Just humour me." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I'll do everything in my power to be there for her."  
  
"Thanks." Takeru smiled getting up. "You and I better get going, it's getting late." He smiled leaving in the opposite direction.  
  
Daisuke watched the blond hair boy walking away from him and thought how strange it was for him to ask that promise. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed continuing his way home.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
The Odaiba Cemetery was ominously silent, not even the birds would sing in the solemn, sacred ground. It was a strange sensation when Takeru crossed the threshold of the burial ground, it was like he crossed into another dimension - something he's very familiar with. The sounds of cars moving, or people talking, and life just happening was dampened the moment he entered the cemetery, like there was a magical security blanket keeping the world out.  
  
Takeru took note of the sensation and continued his way. He slowly meandered through the washed white tombstones being careful not to make a sound; he didn't want to break the unsaid prime directive in the sacred ground. He stopped looking left and right trying to figure out which way to go, he was lost, only for a moment, but a moment was all that was needed to have someone interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"Takeru what are you doing here?"  
  
The sound of the voice seemed strange in the graveyard. "Mrs. Kamiya." Takeru gasped seeing Hikari's mother standing before him. "I'm looking for your deceased husband." He sighed. "I need to talk to him. I seem to have forgotten where's he buried." He replied sheepishly.  
  
"It's down there." She pointed to the general direction.  
  
"Thank you." He smiled bowing with reverence and heading to where she pointed.  
  
"Takeru are you feeling all right? Do you want to talk about it?" She gently and politely asked.  
  
"No, but I'll be okay." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for the offer, but I really need to talk to your husband. Perhaps another time." He smiled.  
  
"Sure." She replied. "Take all the time you need." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder and then left.  
  
Takeru watched Hikari's mother leave for a moment and sighed before turning right. He went towards a particular tomb, his destination and got to his knees. He slowly cleared the area of leaves and noticed a round stone and picked it up feeling it. In his peripheral vision he saw a fresh bouquet of red roses, left by his grieving wife. He kneeled before the tombstone for a long time figuring what he wanted to say.  
  
"Hey Mr. Kamiya, it's me Takeru." He sighed. "I don't know if the dead could hear my thoughts and if they can't then I hope whoever or whatever is listening would humour me." He sighed.  
  
"I don't know if you know what's going on in our lives, but things have changed in your daughter's life since we last talked three months ago." He sighed. "As you know, I didn't tell Kari how I feel for her. I thought it wasn't the right time to tell her, she needed time to grieve." He whispered. "You told me to live in the moment, but when the moment came for me to act it so fleetingly passed." He sighed. "She's found another to love her." His voice cracked.  
  
"He's loud, rash, reckless, obnoxious, and extremely annoying." He chuckled to himself. "They're totally wrong for each other, but manage to find love with each other. Quite frankly he reminds me of you, no insult intended, the last thing I want to do is talk ill of the dead." He smiled. "They're happy, that's what important, and that's all I really care about." He sighed sadly.  
  
"I kept my promise to the best of my abilities even to the point of compromising my heart. I just couldn't introduce pain in her life knowing that would happen if I told her my feelings. So I ignored my heart and kept your promise." He sighed on the verge of tears. "Well, that's not entirely true, I did ask your son this morning to break your promise in order to give me complete closure before I leave, but it seems that the best I would get is a partial one." He sighed wiping his tears.  
  
"I'm leaving the country in about seven days, probably never to return." He sighed. "Don't worry, I've found a suitable replacement. He's young - emotionally, reckless at times, inexperience in taking the duty, but more importantly he loves her and besides I have a feeling that he'll quickly pick up on it." He sighed. "I have full confidence in his ability, he'll do a good job, perhaps better me." He sighed. "I'm sure that her lover in tandem with your ever protecting son would do a more then adequate job." He sighed.  
  
"I've better be going, it's late." He whispered. "I just wanted to tell you that I've tied up all loose ends before I left, that is all the ends that I want to tied up." He sighed. "I don't believe in good-byes, it suggests and connotes that I'll never see you again, something I'm not sure of." He sighed. "Instead I'll say until we meet again, if not in this lifetime, then in the hereafter." He sighed putting the smooth rock in his hand on top of the tombstone and left.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Monday nights at the Kamiya residences were a joyous time, in particular for the children. It was the times when their mother goes and spends some time with their deceased father, thus giving the children a chance to have their own dinners, a rather unhealthy one.  
  
Taichi was doubly blessed to find out that his sister was having dinner at the Motomiya's, which means he could do and eat anything he wanted. The stereo was blaring with music, the television was on, and he was enjoying a deep pan pizza with everything all by himself. He was in paradise, but in every paradise there was always a forbidden fruit just waiting to be picked.  
  
The music was too loud for Taichi to hear the rustling of keys behind the door. Had he heard the keys rustling he would have known that his mother was about to enter. The music suddenly stopped and Taichi quickly glanced to the stereo with his mother standing there with her hands on his waist. "What happened to the liver-tofu meatloaf I made for dinner?" She asked.  
  
"Umm...it got burned when I tried to cook it?" Taichi futilely pointed out. "So I had to order this pizza." He quickly covered.  
  
"Oh." She quickly sighed. "Then I suppose if I go into the kitchen I won't find my liver-tofu meatloaf in the fridge." She said heading for the kitchen.  
  
Taichi gasped. "Umm...mom!" He yelled chasing after her. It was too late, his mother discovered that her liver-tofu meatloaf in the refrigerator uncooked. "I could explain..."  
  
"Don't bother." His mother exasperated. "You'll just have a double portion tomorrow night for dinner." She smiled.  
  
"Oh mom." Taichi whined chasing after her into the living room. "Do I have to?" He said seeing his mother turning off the television.  
  
"One more word and I'll triple your portion." His mother replied. Taichi firmly claps his lips. She started to clean up the coffee table picking up the empty pizza box getting ready to throw it away. She exited the apartment to throw the pizza box down the garbage chute and moments later returned seeing her son reading.  
  
She watched her son intently and pondered about the events that happened at the graveyard earlier. "Have you seen Takeru lately?" She asked nonchalantly.  
  
Taichi glanced from his book and looked at his mother oddly. She has rarely asked about his friends and when she did, it was usually during dire circumstances. "I've seen him this morning." He replied with a hint of trepidation in his voice.  
  
"How does he seem to you?"  
  
"Occupied. Crestfallen." Taichi sighed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"I saw him today at the graveyard and I saw sadness in his eyes, a deep profound sadness." She sighed. "I've never seen anyone so sad." She sighed.  
  
"At the graveyard?" Taichi gasped. "What was he doing there?"  
  
"He just wanted to talk to your father." His mother simply replied. "Something, that you, his son, should consider doing one of these days." She pointed out.  
  
"Not now mother, what did he want to talk about?"  
  
"I don't know, I didn't ask. It wasn't my place." His mother replied. "Do you know what's going on?" She asked.  
  
"Yes and I've given my word." He sighed putting his book down.  
  
"Very well." She sighed. "It's just that I'm very worried about him."  
  
"As am I." Taichi sighed. "As am I."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Takeru came home to an emptied house; he was expecting his mother, but to find that he was alone. He ventured towards the answering machine and pressed it to hear his mother's familiar voice coming through telling him that she needed to go out to get more boxes. The second message was from Taichi, his message was ambiguous and opened, but he could tell in his tone that he was worried. 'His mother probably mentioned that I was at the cemetery.' He quickly rationalized.  
  
He picked up the phone and contemplated whether to return his call. He decided against it placing the cordless back into it's rest and headed towards the cardboard box. Taking one, he sauntered to his room and started to pack - not things for New York because those things could wait, but things that remind him of her. He started to pack the gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos, which she has given him or things they have shared or objects that reminded him of her over the last ten years.  
  
Starting at the door he went clockwise through his room systematically picking up a trinket, a book, a memorabilia from their past that they shared. He was surprised to see how ten years of things could fit into one box so easily.  
  
He waltzed towards his desk and saw that his mother had processed the film in her camera from their graduation not two days ago. It was an eight by eleven blow up of their posses after the service.  
  
They were all dressed in black gowns Ken Ichijouji stood far left wearing his valedictorian tassels, next to him were him and Hikari Kamiya wearing the tassels of co-salutatorians. 'Something else we have in common.' He sighed, thinking touching her face with his fingers. To the far right was Daisuke Motomiya, his arms around her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes and a grin on his face.  
  
He gracefully put the picture on his pillow and headed towards his bookshelf and pulled out a black scrapbook. He ran his fingers over the fading gold lettering on the cover. 'Memories.' He read in his mind. He returned to his bed and opened it.  
  
There were a series of pictures of Hikari and Takeru together through the ages. Snapshots, candid pictures, faces, moments frozen in time for all eternity, capturing the essence for all prosperity. Today he had found these pictures rather odd; they only and always seemingly represent the joyous occasion of their lives, like all the sad moments, albeit few in occurrence, never existed.  
  
The first eight by eleven picture was taken when they were three, nearly ten years ago. The two of them in a bathtub naked as the day they were born splashing around having the time of their lives. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that Hikari was the first girl he saw naked. It was unfortunate that this was one of the memories he had forgotten over time. He sighed gently and turned the page.  
  
The next eight by eleven picture was found a couple pages later. It was taken a year later on the fishing trip, the one Hikari crawled into his father's car. The one where they first called each other best friends and promised to tell each other everything. 'We were so young then.' He sighed. It was he and Hikari holding the ten-pound trout that she had caught. He was on the left and she on the right carrying the fish lengthwise. He could remember how heavy that fish was as they waited patiently for their fathers to take the picture.  
  
The third eight by eleven picture was found on the following page. It was taken the day they returned from the fishing trip. It was a candid shot of them kissing on the lips. Takeru chuckled to himself seeing that moment frozen in time. It was a rather innocent kiss, a peck rather, but he still considered it his first. He still sighed wanting, wishing to have his first grown up kiss with her.  
  
He remembered that day vividly; it was right after their fishing trip. His father wanted his brother and him to stay for the night because he wanted to talk to his wife about the divorce, which was still a new word in his vocabulary. Hikari noted how passionately her father kissing her mother and commented on it.  
  
Later in her room they talked about kissing with childlike curiosity. They asked silly question like: 'How did they breath?' or 'Why their eyes were closed?' They concluded that it was gross, that's when Taichi came in and suggested that they shouldn't mock it until they tried it. With that their curiosity rose to a zenith and decided to do it to see what the big deal was.  
  
Unbeknownst to them that Hikari's mother was passing by eavesdropping on their conversation. When they were about to do the deed she stealthy ran for her camera and took the picture. She then came in and started explaining what kisses was and what they meant. In passing she joked that they had to get married because they've kissed.  
  
Unaware of sarcasm at their age they secretly planned their marriage ceremony. The next day Takeru stole his mother's platinum ring to use it as their wedding band. They were wed in the sandbox at the park with three stuff bears in the wedding party; a brown bear was the minister, and a white bear the maid of honour and a black bear as best man. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that they were still married and turned the page.  
  
The next eight by eleven appeared several pages later. It was the picture Andromon took after the battle with Apocalymon five years ago right after the storm of digieggs falling on the padded grounds of Primary Village when the Digital World was rebooted. They were twenty-one of them standing in three rows, humans and digimons alike.  
  
The tallest stood in the back row to the left stood Gennai in his robotic suit standing shoulder to shoulder with Ogremon with his disfigured green face, and the single glowing red eye of Centaurmon, the mythical half horse, half human digimon of legendary lore.  
  
The middle row consists of the older digidestined, Yamato, his older brother, Koushiro, Sora, Taichi, Mimi, and Jou in that particular order from left to right. The front row in the centre is where Hikari and Takeru was standing surrounded by their digimons with Elecmon, the custodian of Primary Village standing beside Hikari and in her hands the recently hatched Botamon. Takeru smiled remembering the good old days. He sighed and turned the page.  
  
The fifth eight by eleven picture was found a couple of pages later and a couple of years later. It was taken two years later when they were ten, at the beach with the white hat that he was wearing, the one she bought for him that day. They were in their bathing suits standing on the boardwalk against the vista of blue waters and brown sand.  
  
That was the first time he wanted to tell Hikari about his feelings for her. It was also the first day he heard the name of Daisuke Motomiya, though they never met, it was the first time he consider that another boy would like her, but worse she may like another boy. It was also the day that he decided to get her the digital camera she always wanted, the one she constantly wore around her neck, that is until recently. He remember that day vividly...  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Three Years Ago...  
  
"Say cheese."  
  
"Cheese." They said in unison as the picture was snapped.  
  
"Another one for prosperity." Hikari asked.  
  
"Kari." Takeru protested.  
  
"That's okay, I don't mind." The old lady smiled. She waited until they were ready again and took the picture.  
  
"Thank you." Takeru smiled approaching the lady as she handed the disposable camera to him.  
  
"No problem." She smiled. "It's so good to see young love."  
  
"Oh, we're not lovers." Hikari corrected. "We're best friends."  
  
"Really? Well you two make such a cute couple you should think about it." She smiled pinching Takeru's cheek and continued on her way.  
  
"Are you all right?" Hikari said nursing his pinched cheek.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Takeru sighed sadly. He wanted to tell Hikari his feelings, but hearing her reiterate that they were best friends slightly wounded his ego. "We've better be getting back." He sighed. "Our brothers are probably worried about us." He pointed out.  
  
"Could we stop at the Photo Shop on the way? I'll like to process this film."  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed looking at his watch.  
  
"It'll only take a half hour to get there and a hour to process." She smiled.  
  
"Okay." Takeru caved.  
  
They headed towards the Photo Shop watching the sunset and listening to the seagulls' unique call. He took a furtive glance at Hikari and saw the radiant, fading light dancing in her eyes. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought. 'I have to tell her my feelings.' He sighed taking a deep breath. "Hey Kari?" He started weakly.  
  
"Yeah, T.K." She replied.  
  
"Do you remember what the old lady said, the one who took our picture?" He asked, his voice cracking.  
  
"No."  
  
"Well she said...she called us...she thought that we're..."  
  
Hikari stopped and raised his chin to meet her eyes. "T.K. what are you trying to say?" She smiled looking at him.  
  
'This was harder then I thought.' He sighed fidgeting with his hands.  
  
Hikari noticed that her friend was nervous about something and gently held his hand. Takeru felt the warmness of her hand and glanced into her eyes, they were comforting, like a sponge that absorbed all his anxieties away. "Just say it." She smiled with encouragement running a couple of her fingers through his blond sideburns.  
  
Takeru looked into her eyes and his courage was re-energized. He sighed, took a deep breath and smiled. "Kari, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you a long time. You see Kari I..."  
  
"Hey Kari!" A loud voice emanated from the crowd.  
  
Takeru saw her eyes dilated with fear when she heard the voice. "What's wrong?" He asked, forgetting what he wanted to tell her to tend to her fears.  
  
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand. "We just have to get out of here." She sighed.  
  
"But..."  
  
"Now." She said pulling him towards the beach trying to get lost in the crowd.  
  
"What is this all about?" Takeru asked still being pulled by Hikari.  
  
"I'll explain later." She replied guiding her friend through the labyrinth of people on the beach.  
  
They were running so fast that his new white hat flew off his head. He quickly broke away from Hikari and ran a couple of meters back to pick up his hat. Hikari returned with fear and shock still in her eyes. "What are you doing?" She panted. "We have to get out of here." She painted.  
  
"Can't lose two hats in one day." He smiled picking up his white hat.  
  
Hikari couldn't help but smiled at him, he looked so innocent, so hopeful. She walked towards him and placed the hat back on his head in the same manner she put it on at the thrift shop. "No we can't lose another one can we." She smiled. "I can't afford another one." She teased.  
  
"Hey Kari!" The same voice emanated.  
  
"Why is he so relentless?" Hikari exasperated.  
  
"He?"  
  
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand again. "First we have to get out of here." She said pulling Takeru towards an unknown direction.  
  
He ran awkwardly pass the masses with his right hand being dragged with a panicky Hikari and the other on his head so his hat won't fly off again. They ran for another fifteen minutes where Hikari stopped to catch her breath.  
  
"I think we lost him." She panted peering behind the beam, which held the pier above them. The sounds of waves crashing underneath the pier were stronger and more violent then those found on the open shore.  
  
Takeru navigated pass the ankle high waters and held her hand gently. "What's wrong Kari?" He asked affectionately. "Who is this guy that's chasing after you?" Takeru asked trying to comfort her fears.  
  
Hikari turned to see his worried eyes. "It's nothing, it's just some guy who has this colossal crush on me." She smiled reassuringly. "It's really all innocent." She sighed.  
  
"So innocent that the sound of his voice makes you run and hide?" Takeru sighed. "He's not stocking you is he?" He asked with trepidation.  
  
"Heaven's no, nothing like that." Hikari dismissed it with a laugh. "His name is Daisuke "Davis" Motomiya, he's a substitute striker on my brother's soccer team and was in my class last year. He noticed me one day and was infatuated ever since." She smiled.  
  
"And this one hundred meter dash was for what? Exercise?"  
  
"No, you have to know Davis. He's relentless, irrepressible, annoying, loud, obnoxious, rash something that I don't want to deal with today." She smiled reassuringly, but still saw concern in Takeru's eyes. She lifted up his chin so their eyes would meet. "Don't worry T.K." She smiled. "His life's goal is to kiss me and make me his girlfriend, that's all, it's all rather innocent." She smiled. "Why are you so defensive? Are you jealous?" She teased.  
  
"Of course not." Takeru broke away. "I was just worried that this Davis could be stalking you or something, but if it's all innocent then it relieves my worries." He pointed out.  
  
The moments those words escaped his mouth he knew he'd regretted it. It was a defence mechanism he built up over the years; from the constant teasing from the older digidestined about them being lovers. Now strangely, when he wanted to tell her his feelings he reverted back to his natural reactions. Then the epiphany hit him, what if she didn't like him in return, what if she liked one of presumably numerous men that was attracted to her.  
  
"Oh, T.K. you said you wanted to tell me something before we were interrupted by Davis." Hikari asked remembering their conversation.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said that there's something you've been meaning to tell me. Something that you wanted to tell me a long time?" She reiterated his words.  
  
"Oh that." Takeru sighed sadly. "It's nothing." He sighed. "We've better get to the Photo Shop before it closes." He sighed sadly leading the way.  
  
They walked towards the Photo Shop in complete silence, enjoying the sounds of people chattering, seagulls cawing, and the distant sounds of waves crashing upon the sand and enjoyed the familiarity of walking with a good friend.  
  
"Hey T.K. you okay?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence.  
  
"Fine." Takeru sighed. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason." Hikari sighed. "You're just awfully quiet." She whispered.  
  
"I'm just tired." Takeru sighed.  
  
"Oh." Hikari sighed sadly. "Here we're are." She said turning into the shop. In her peripheral vision she saw something that caught her eye. She stopped and returned to the display window gazing through her eyes lit up.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Takeru asked.  
  
"It's a digital camera." Hikari awed. "It's the camera I always wanted, it's hand-sized, sleek, chrome, compact, and has a cord that I could hang around my neck...it's perfect." She admired.  
  
"Should I leave you two alone?" Takeru teased.  
  
"No." Hikari protested. "It's on sale too." She said glancing at the price tag. Takeru saw her heart sank when she did. "Too bad I can't afford it." She sighed sadly.  
  
"You really want it don't you?" Takeru asked.  
  
"It beats disposable cameras." Hikari sighed. "Oh well, perhaps next time." She sighed walking in. "Coming T.K.?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru smiled mischievously to himself. In his peripheral vision he saw a sign located in the corner of the window: HELP WANTED, which gave him an idea.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Packing all ready?" His mother's voice interrupted his thoughts. Takeru slowly raised his eyes looking at her and smiled.  
  
"In a manner of speaking." Takeru replied enigmatically.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Taking a stroll down sentimentality lane." He smiled. "One tends to get nostalgic when one is about to leave his homeland of almost thirteen years." He sighed.  
  
"I see." His mother sighed. "Care for some company?" She smiled sitting beside her son on his bed.  
  
"Sure." Takeru sighed.  
  
His mother peered over her son's shoulder and saw the picture he was looking at. "Is that the summer you got your new hat?" His mother asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was also the summer where I took the job at the Photo Shop to pay for Kari's digital camera." He sighed.  
  
"The one that's constantly around her neck?"  
  
"Yeah." He sighed. "It was also the first time I wanted to tell my feelings for her." He sighed sadly.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I was foolish enough to believe that there might not be another person in her life." He sighed. "Before that moment in time I thought I was the only boy in her life, that I couldn't conceive that she may not reciprocate my feelings. I was wrong - wrong enough to drain my courage from telling her." He sighed.  
  
"Is that why you were moping all year when you returned?"  
  
"Was I that obvious?"  
  
"Only when you think of her." She sighed.  
  
"Yeah that summer was humbling." He sighed.  
  
She watched her son carefully. He was looking at these picture with jaded eyes, his demeanour was quiet and expressionless, she knew that this trip down sentimentality lane was a front for something in his life and she had a good feeling what it may be.  
  
"Are you done with this page?" Her son asked.  
  
"Yeah." She sighed nonchalantly watching her son turn a couple of pages in the photographic essay that was his life. He was heartbroken and she knew that, she was so sure that Hikari would return his feelings. She noticed that her son was entranced with the photo on the page and glanced down to see another group picture it was the only picture on the page. "Is that the group picture after you defeated Malo Myotismon?" She probed.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.  
  
It was a simple group picture similar to the group picture Andromon took five years ago. The back row was occupied by the older digidestined, oddly enough in the same order as the one they took it five years ago, whether that was done by design or happenstance it didn't matter, it seemed right. The middle row was occupied by the six members of the second generation of digidestined while the rest of the digimon took the front row.  
  
"I never get use to it." The comment surprise Takeru.  
  
"Get use to what?" He asked looking at his mother.  
  
"You saving worlds, jumping through dimensions like it was the norm. It's all so surreal, like it's a hilarious dream and that one day I'll wake up and all this is but a distant memory and you'll start to worried about normal adolescent things." She sighed looking at her son.  
  
"I still have those worries too."  
  
"I know, but saving worlds is a heavy burden, even for adults." She sighed. "Ever time you jump through that digiport I worry about you."  
  
"I could take care of myself mom."  
  
"I know you can." She sighed. "It's not that, I'm constantly worried about you, even in this world. It's just easier here, when you're in trouble we can run to each other when we need it, but I can't run to you and hold you when you're in trouble in the Digital World or any other dimensions that you jump to." She sighed.  
  
"Patamon will always be there for me and if not there are my friends." He pointed out.  
  
"I know, but a mother always worries even when you have kids of your own and I've grown old and blue." She smiled.  
  
"And I'll visit you every weekend in the old journalist home." He teased.  
  
"You better." She smiled thinking it was good to see her son smiling again, but she knew that that smile was fleeting, because she could tell in her son's eyes that he was in pain. Her son continued to flip a couple of pages in his photo album. In her peripheral vision she saw a picture that intrigued her and stopped her son from flipping the page. "Is that New York?" She asked pointing to another eight by eleven picture.  
  
"Yeah it's a café near Mimi's house."  
  
"You two seem rather intimate." She sighed seeing her son's right arm around Hikari's shoulder while his left hand showed the peace sign. Hikari's shoulders were narrow holding a grey laptop leaning against her son for support. They both supported an innocent, yet devious grin on their faces.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It was a rouse for feeding Davis' jealous."  
  
"A rouse?"  
  
"It was no secret that Davis liked Kari back then. He announced it whenever he could." He sighed sadly, wishing he had that power. "And when he found out that Hikari and I would be spending the summer in New York visiting Mimi alone, he became so incredibly jealous." He sighed with a smile to himself.  
  
"That's understandable." His mother sighed.  
  
"Well Hikari wanted to send this picture to Davis to make him jealous. I was often the tool she used to make him jealous." Takeru scoffed chuckling to himself. "You know retrospectively, I think she rather enjoyed the chase." He sighed sadly.  
  
His mother noticed that change in her son's attitude by the sound of his sigh. "What's wrong?" She asked thinking that that sigh was an invitation into his problems.  
  
"Nothing, it's just that..." He exasperated with frustration and sighed clearing his mind to start over again. "Sometimes when she flirted with me to make Davis jealous part of me wanted to believe her advances were genuine, that she indeed shared the same feelings for me, but in my heart of hearts I knew that she had ulterior motives." He sighed sadly.  
  
"Sounds like someone who doesn't deserve your love." His mother pointed out.  
  
"I'm not entirely deserving of her love either." Takeru sighed. "I lied to her about my true feelings." He exasperated. "I don't blame her if she doesn't believe me when I do reveal them." He sighed.  
  
"True." His mother sighed. "Why do you suppose you did that? I taught you better then that." She pointed out.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time." He chuckled to himself with disbelief. "Matt told me a long time ago that there is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." He sighed.  
  
"Love can do that to people." She pointed out.  
  
"Still it's a poor excuse for deception." He sighed.  
  
"I think you're being to hard on yourself." She sighed, holding her son and suddenly chuckled to herself. "To think I was worried." She smiled.  
  
"I thought you were always worried." Takeru asked.  
  
"Not about that, I'm always worried about your safety." His mother sighed with a smile. "I was worried about something entirely different." She sighed.  
  
"What about?" Takeru asked with innocent eyes.  
  
"I was about to pack some condoms in your suitcase." His mother blushed.  
  
"Mom, we were eleven!" Takeru protested.  
  
"Eleven going on twenty-one." His mother sighed. "You two were the most mature eleven year olds on the face of the planet." She sighed. "What's a mother to think when his son announces one day that he's spending a whole summer with a girl?" She sighed.  
  
"That you should trust your son with a morsel of common sense, besides if we did anything it wouldn't be the first time we saw each other naked." He sighed.  
  
"It's not!" His mother gasped. "When? Where? How?" She started to freak.  
  
"Yeah, I have pictures." He said turning the photo album to the beginning of the scrapbook.  
  
"Pictures!" She gasped. "Takeru Takaishi you are ground until you're twenty-one and when I mean twenty-one I mean biological twenty-one!" She replied losing control.  
  
"Mom, it's rather innocent." He said showing his mother the picture of the two of them in a bathtub when they were three.  
  
She saw the picture and blushed with embarrassment she was not prone to jump to conclusions particularly without all the facts and especially as a journalist, but when it concerns her son, well that a different category all together. "Oh." She sighed trying to regain her composure. "And this is the only time you saw her naked." She asked.  
  
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I'm sure we took more baths together when I stayed over at the Kamiya's, but nothing pass the age of innocence." Takeru reassured his mother turning to find a blank page in his scrapbook.  
  
"I'm sorry I've overreacted."  
  
"That's okay." Takeru smiled. "You should have seen your face when I told you. It was priceless. I wish I had a camera to capture the moment." He sighed putting his graduation picture in the scrapbook.  
  
"Is that your graduation picture?" She asked in hopes to change the nature of the conversation.  
  
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for getting the picture developed so quickly." He said closing the scrapbook.  
  
"No problem." She sighed.  
  
"Could you put this scrapbook in the box?" Takeru asked.  
  
"Sure." His mother smiled receiving the photo album and placed it in the box. She gazed into the box and sensed something wrong with the sight. It was not consistent with normal packing.  
  
When one packs one usually bundled items with similar properties together, like books with books, dishes with dishes, but this was strangely chaotic yet systematic picked. She saw books, compact disks, gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos with one common thread that encompassed everything: Hikari Kamiya. She gasped when she found out what her son was doing. She turned to her son and saw him took off his white hat and slowly folded it contemplating. "I'm sorry." She whispered.  
  
Takeru knew what she meant. "That's okay." He sighed.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'll be fine." He whispered.  
  
His mother put her arm around his shoulders holding him. "I'm sorry that she didn't reciprocate your feelings." She sighed.  
  
"I wouldn't know." Takeru sighed. "I didn't tell her."  
  
"Why not?" She asked. "You didn't get permission to break the promise?" She asked with a hint of confusion.  
  
"No I did, quite surprisingly in fact." Takeru sighed. "It's just that I was too late. Davis had already asked her to be his girlfriend." He sighed sadly.  
  
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered; she hated to see her son like this. "What about complete closure? This morning you were so gung-ho about telling her, throwing caution to the wind and damned the consequences." She suggested sympathetically.  
  
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Yeah, I'll learn to settle for partial closure, it's better then nothing." He sighed sadly wanting to cry. "You should have seen her mom, she was so happy, more happier then I ever saw her, I couldn't rob that from her." He began to weep.  
  
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered holding him nurturing him allowing his tears to flow. Then she realized something; Takeru would have broken her heart regardless when he told her that he would be moving to New York. "Wait a minute did you tell Kari that you'll be moving soon?" She asked.  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
"Takeru!" His mother replied sternly.  
  
"I'll tell her tomorrow after I tell Matt." He sighed. "Have you told dad yet?" He asked.  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
"Mother!" Her replied in the same tone as his mother seconds earlier.  
  
"I have an appointment to tell your father tomorrow." She reassured. "So it seems we all have announcements to declare tomorrow." She replied sadly.  
  
"Yeah." Her son sighed in the same tone.  
  
"Com'on let's get out of here." She smiled. "I'm treating you to dinner."  
  
"All right." Takeru smiled. "I'll be out in a minute." He sighed watching his mother leave his room. He slowly got up from his bed and headed towards the box that rested near his bed. He got to one knee and gave a last look at the contents of his past with her and gently placed his white hat with his other six pairs in the carton and pushed it under his bed and quietly left his room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Taichi stared aimlessly at the blank television thinking. Contemplating what has happened to Takeru and his sister that afternoon in the park. The speculations of what happened were killing his nerves and his fingernails were his chief victims to ease them.  
  
There were certain facts he knew, but it was the speculations that drove him crazy. He knew that Takeru wanted to tell his sister his feelings and that he would be moving away, whether he told the former was still up to him. He also knew that he went to the cemetery to speak to his father for reasons he does not know. He also knew that Daisuke wanted to ask his sister to be his girlfriend six hours later and he knew that's where she was now, at the Motomiya's.  
  
"This is driving me crazy!" He yelled with frustration.  
  
"Are you all right son?" His mother asked popping her head from his room.  
  
"I'm fine." Takeru sighed. "Just have to make a call." He replied picking up the phone and dialled Takeru's number. The phone rang four times before the machine picked up. "Ah!" He exasperated slamming the phone.  
  
Taichi had found it odd that when he was waiting for someone that time seemed to flow significantly slower. He couldn't call Davis to check up on his sister, it wouldn't be right to interrupt their dinner, yet he was tempted to do so on more than a dozen occasions. Whatever outcome of his sister's day he knew one thing: she would be devastated.  
  
His ears peaked up when he heard the rattling of keys outside their front door. He sat up straight and watched the door intently. He saw Hikari waltzed in with a huge grimace on her face, something he wasn't expecting. "Hello brother." She smiled. "Isn't life wonderful?" She beamed smelling the pink roses she held.  
  
"You seem happy." Taichi commented tentatively watching his sister beaming and glowing with pure exultation as she twirled with jubilation showing off her flowers, but most importantly her attitude.  
  
"Yeah, I am." Hikari beamed waltzing towards her room to put away the flowers and candy she was carrying, moments later she burst out of her room. "My boyfriend is so sweet, he bought me a dozen pink roses and a box of white chocolates, my favourites." She smiled waltzing towards her brother on the chesterfield that looked concern. "But to answer your question, of course I'm happy, why shouldn't I be?" She asked plopping herself on the chesterfield carelessly.  
  
"No reason." Taichi sighed unconvincingly. "I thought your talk with T.K. would depress you." He pointed out tentatively. "You did talk to T.K. didn't you?" Taichi asked.  
  
"Yeah, I talked to him after Davis asked me to be his girlfriend, but why do you..."  
  
"Wait a minute." Taichi interrupted. "After? I thought your meeting with T.K. was before Davis' dinner?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah our spot and Davis' family picnic spot was one and the same. I was there early waiting for T.K. when Davis saw me and seized the opportunity to ask me to be his girlfriend. Unfortunately T.K. witnessed our union and I felt guilty because it was suppose to be our time, but he understood and forgave me." Hikari explained. "But why should Chastity, the girl that he likes breaking his heart for another boy depress me?" Hikari pointed out. "I feel bad for him, but that's all." She pointed out.  
  
"He told you Chastity broke his heart."  
  
"Not really." Hikari sighed. "I deduced it."  
  
"But he told me he liked..." Taichi stopped himself before he broke his promise to Takeru.  
  
"Who?" Hikari asked with interested. "Who did he tell you he liked?" She reiterated her question.  
  
"My mistake." Taichi smiled unconvincingly. "I've must have heard wrong when he told me. You know me and names couldn't get them right if my life depended on it." He laughed with embarrassment; he had realized that Hikari and Chastity were one in the same person.  
  
"You still haven't answered my question." Hikari probed suspiciously. "Why would T.K.'s news depress me?" She asked.  
  
"I can't say." Taichi sighed. "Are you sure that's there wasn't anything more that he wanted to talk to you about?" He probed.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"I'm not at liberty to say." Taichi sighed reluctantly. "Just think! It's important!" He ordered.  
  
"No I don't think..." Hikari gasped remembering something. "Now that you mention it, he did say he had a couple of things he wanted to speak to me about and Chastity wasn't one of them." She pointed out. "He said one was a secret which he didn't feel comfortable telling me anymore and the second..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He didn't say." Hikari sighed. "He was about to tell me when I told him I had to get ready for my dinner date with Davis and his family." She sighed. "Oh my God, I completely dismissed him." She gasped, and then she realized that her brother knew what he was about to tell her. She glanced to his eyes with anticipation. "What did T.K. wanted to tell me?" She asked.  
  
"I can't say." Taichi sighed.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Taichi exasperated to himself, he hated to be put into this situation, but worse he hated to rob his sister of her joy. "Kari normally I wouldn't be keeping something so critical from you, but I made a promise to T.K. and even if I didn't, it's not my place to tell you." He pointed out.  
  
"Then whose place is it?" Hikari asked.  
  
"I think you know the answer." Taichi sighed picking up the phone. "I think you better talk to him and really listen to him this time." He said placing the phone in her hands. "Good night." He whispered with a smile and headed to his room.  
  
Hikari thanked her brother stared at the phone like it was a foreign object. She felt bad when she failed him once, but now she felt worse failing him twice. 'I hope he forgives me.' She sighed pressing one on her speed dial.  
  
The phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up. She listened to the sound of Takeru's voice and wondered what could be so dire that made her brother such a nervous wreck. She didn't know what to say or how to say it so she hanged up before she had a chance to leave a message. She exasperated looking at the phone. "What did you really wanted to tell me today?" She asked rhetorically.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Sometaro is a real restaurant in Japan, which serves okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) and is mentioned in this story purely for a meeting place. The restaurant itself is opened from noon to ten, but for the purposes of this story it's opened for breakfast. [3] Takeru's flashback scene is taken from the first season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Piedmon's Last Jest". [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.  



End file.
